President Bola Tinubu has launched a nationwide campaign tagged, “See Something, Say Something, Do Something” to strengthen child rights protection across the country.
Tinubu announced this in his message on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, to mark this year’s National Children’s Day Celebration, with the theme, “Stand Up, Speak Up: Building a Bullying-Free Generation.”
He said: “Our children’s safety cannot be solely anchored on government policies but on community vigilance.
“This is why I am launching a nationwide “See Something, Say Something, Do Something” campaign today, encouraging every Nigerian to become a child protection champion.”
He noted that “globally, more than 1 in 3 children experience bullying regularly. In Nigeria, studies estimate that up to 65% of school-age children have experienced some form of physical, psychological, or social aggression. This is unacceptable. A child who learns in fear cannot learn well. A child who grows in fear cannot grow right.”
While stating that violence, bullying, and neglect have no place in the Nigeria of today, President Tinubu affirmed that decisive steps are being taken to prevent, detect, and respond to all forms of violence against children.
“We prioritise child protection under the Renewed Hope Agenda. This includes the full implementation of Nigeria’s National Plan of Action on Ending Violence Against Children (2024–2030), which I recently launched.
“The plan provides a comprehensive roadmap to prevent abuse, prosecute perpetrators, and support victims, backed by robust financing and multi-sectoral coordination.
“We are further taking decisive steps to prevent, detect, and respond to all forms of violence against children. As a government, we have initiated a comprehensive review of the Child Rights Act (2003) and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (2015) to expand the scope of protection, strengthen their provisions, close implementation gaps, and ensure nationwide enforcement.
“We are also leveraging the Cybercrime Act, which is in full force, to protect children from cyberbullying, exploitation, and abuse,” he said.
Noting that the 36 states have domesticated the Child Rights Act, thus reflecting collective resolve to protect and provide for the welfare of children, the President maintained that laws alone would be insufficient to protect the children, adding that it requires a holistic approach where parents, teachers, caregivers, faith leaders, lawmakers, and citizens must take ownership.
President Tinubu revealed that the administration is investing in other focused national systems for child protection, such as the Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS), which is being scaled up to track and respond to cases in real-time.
He added that the Ministry of Women’s Affairs is strengthening community-based child protection mechanisms, training frontline responders, and leading nationwide awareness campaigns to end harmful traditional practices.
Tinubu said in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda, the administration is committed to implementing proactive measures to strengthen existing efforts to support families and communities, including developing a robust institutional framework focused exclusively on Child Protection and Development.
This, according to him, would ensure greater accountability in safeguarding the rights and well-being of every Nigerian child.
The President said the administration has introduced a National Policy on Safety, Security, and Violence-Free Schools and developed Guidelines for School Administrators, among several other measures.
“We embed social-emotional learning and child safeguarding into teacher training,” Tinubu said.
He said through the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children, we create inclusive pathways for every child to learn, thrive, and succeed, regardless of background.
In the care economy, he said, “we are expanding access to primary healthcare and upscaling dedicated Mother and Child Hospitals and healthcare systems across all six geopolitical zones, offering integrated maternal and child services. We are working collaboratively with subnational governments to ensure the establishment of similar facilities across the States.
“We believe every child has the right to grow up in a loving and protective environment. To ensure that children who are unable to remain in their biological homes are given the care and protection they deserve, the Federal Ministry of Women’s Affairs has developed the National Guidelines for Alternative Care for Children. These guidelines would complement the recently launched National Plan of Action on Ending Violence Against Children (EVAC) and strengthen our child protection systems.
“Through the Nutrition 774 programme and our School Feeding Scheme, we work assiduously to improve child health and cognitive development. The Nutrition 774 project aims to ensure no child in Nigeria goes hungry.
“Through this project, we are reaching every community, guaranteeing that children receive the necessary nutrition to thrive in their academic pursuits, creative endeavours, and overall health. A well-nourished child is well-equipped and ready to tackle the challenges of tomorrow.
“To institutionalise our commitment, the Federal Ministry of Women’s Affairs has recently established a dedicated Department of Nutrition to strengthen policy coherence, programme delivery, and coordination around child and maternal nutrition.
“We are investing in social protection tools such as the Universal Child Grant and finalising a national Child Wellbeing Index to measure progress, track gaps, and hold ourselves accountable,” the President said.
He called on all partners, stakeholders, and duty-bearers to sustain and deepen collective efforts, saying: “We must embed child rights in all our budgets, plans, and policies.”
He commended states taking bold steps for children’s welfare, and urged those yet to act, to start now.
