Empowering Youths to Speak Up for Children: UNICEF and Bauchi Government Lead the Way

In a powerful move to promote child-friendly policies, UNICEF has partnered with the Bauchi State Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning and Multilateral Coordination to train young people on the importance of budgeting for children’s needs.

The one-day workshop, held in Bauchi, brought together a group of passionate youth volunteers known as U-Reporters. Their mission? To learn how government budgets work and how they can influence decisions that directly impact children's health, education, and overall well-being.

Speaking during the event, Opeyemi Olagunju, UNICEF’s Communication Specialist, emphasized that young people are often left out of important government discussions — especially budgeting — despite the fact that these decisions shape their future.

“This training is to help them understand how budgets are made and how they impact children and youth,” he explained.

Also at the event, Sophie Bako reminded participants that budgeting isn’t just about spending money. It’s a tool for smart planning and delivering essential services.

“With the right budgeting, we can reduce poverty and strengthen key sectors like health, education, and water,” she said.

UNICEF’s Social Policy Specialist, Dr. Yusuf Auta, highlighted how budgeting can be a powerful tool to fight poverty and invest in the future of children. He called on the government to put children first by setting clear policies and allocating adequate funding.

“Children must be prioritized in budgets. We recommend at least 15% of the state budget for health and 26% for education,” he urged.

From the state’s own Budget Ministry, Anubakar Sadeeq Usman agreed that more needs to be done — particularly in areas like nutrition and social protection. He also emphasized the importance of training government officials regularly on child-sensitive budgeting and using data to guide inclusive decisions.

While Bauchi State has made progress in supporting health and education, the message from this training is clear: more investment, better planning, and stronger monitoring are essential for building a brighter future for children.

With young people now trained and ready to advocate for change, the future of Bauchi’s children is beginning to look a lot more hopeful.