The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on the media to play a stronger role in amplifying children’s voices on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) issues, as part of efforts to hold governments accountable for their commitments.
The appeal was made by Mr Rahama Farah, Chief of UNICEF Field Office in Kano, during a Media Dialogue on WASH services in Kano and Jigawa States on Tuesday.
Farah emphasised that WASH services are critical for children, schools and health facilities, which serve large populations across different age groups, health conditions and physical abilities.
According to him, these environments can quickly become hotspots for disease transmission if adequate water, sanitation and hygiene facilities are lacking.
“Access to clean water, safe toilets and functional handwashing facilities in schools and health centres is fundamental to children’s health, learning and dignity,” he said.
He noted that the absence of such facilities leads to increased school absenteeism, particularly among girls, and fuels the spread of infections, undermining global targets on education and universal access to WASH under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 4 and 6).
Farah referenced findings from the 2021 WASH National Outcome Routine Mapping (WASHNORM II) survey, Nigeria’s most comprehensive recent assessment of institutional WASH services, which revealed significant gaps nationwide.
He said the survey showed that only 11 per cent of schools across the country have access to basic water, sanitation and hygiene services, with the situation worse in rural communities in the Northwest.
“In Kano and Jigawa states, only about six per cent of health facilities have access to basic water supply, sanitation and hygiene services,” he said.
Farah added that although some states, including Jigawa and recently Katsina, have made progress toward achieving open defecation-free status, critical challenges remain.
He noted that handwashing facilities remain largely non-functional, particularly in schools, leaving many children vulnerable to preventable diseases such as diarrhoea and cholera.
“In Northwest Nigeria, poor WASH conditions contribute significantly to child illness, depriving children of safe and healthy spaces to grow and thrive,” he said.
Farah disclosed that UNICEF, with support from development partners, is working with government authorities to improve WASH services in schools and health facilities.
He revealed that in 2025, the United Kingdom Government committed £19 million to the Climate Resilient for Basic Infrastructure (CRIBS) Programme, supporting the construction and upgrading of 84 climate-resilient health and education facilities in Kano and Jigawa States.
According to him, the achievements recorded so far were made possible through collaboration between UNICEF, the Federal Government, the UK Government and other partners.
The UNICEF official urged media practitioners to use their platforms to sustain advocacy on WASH issues by highlighting gaps identified in WASHNORM data and demanding accountability.
He also called on journalists to track state budgetary allocations and spending on WASH infrastructure such as boreholes, toilets and hygiene supplies in schools and health facilities.
Farah reminded the media of its critical role in ensuring governments at all levels honour their commitments under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.