Environment
Children Have Rights To Sanitation, Quality Education – WaterAid
The WaterAid Nigera says children all over the world have a right to sanitation, good health and quality education.
Dr ChiChi Aniagolu-Okoye, the Country Director, WaterAid Nigeria said this in an interview with newsmen last Wednesday in Abuja.
“Wherever they are in the world, children are entitled to the human rights of sanitation, good health and quality education.
”Through the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), world leaders have promised to deliver these rights for everyone everywhere by the year 2030 but at the current rates of progress, these promises will be broken with many countries way off track.
”One in three schools around the world do not currently have decent toilets, while one in five primary schools and one in eight secondary schools don’t have any toilet at all.’’
Aniagolu-Okoye said that about 620 million of the world’s school children do not have decent toilets.
“For these young people, it is normal to run home to relieve themselves or use bushes on the school ground despite safe toilets being the human right for everyone everywhere.
“Lasting and meaningful progress towards any of the UN SDG’s of health, education, women’s rights and equality will not be achieved without clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene.
”Therefore urgent action is needed now to improve the service of the 34 per cent of schools worldwide with no adequate toilets for pupils, to bring decent household toilets to 2.3 billion people still waiting and to make this an everyday thing for everyone.’’
She said that governments must prioritise delivering sanitation to all, investing in the essential services and establishing credible plans for achieving universal access within an agreed time frame.
”Government should champion change through better planning and a more integrated approach between the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) education and health sectors.
“More money should be properly invested and there should be improved transparency in monitoring and reporting because a school without basic access to water, decent toilets and good hygiene should not be called a school.
”Education and finance ministers in every country as well as donors must recognise the fundamental importance of water, sanitation and hygiene in schools in improving education.”
She said that school sanitation must meet the specific needs of girls to ensure privacy, safety and dignity.
“Toilets should be in appropriate locations with good lighting, solid doors and locks to avoid children fallen victims to rapist and kidnappers.
”Female children should be taught about menstruation and given what they need to care for themselves properly during their periods including clean water and soap.’’
Aniagolu-Okoye, however, said that school sanitation must be inclusive enabling children with disabilities to use clean, safe, accessible toilets.
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) on Thursday, launched an awareness campaign, aimed at educating residents on the increasing impact of climate change.
The campaign also seeks to enlighten residents on the urgent need for personal and community protection measures.
During the launch in Uyo on Thursday, the Akwa Ibom Director of NOA, Mr Mkpoutom Mkpoutom, said that the campaign aims at enlightening residents, about the changes in weather patterns.
He said that this includes unpredictable rise in temperatures, and how these changes threaten public health across the state.
Mkpoutom noted that the current weather was not harmattan, but an extreme form of air pollution, which is harmful to health as it could cause oxidative stress which affects body balance.
“Our environment is changing rapidly, and the effects are evident in the disruptions faced by our communities.
“It is paramount that every citizen of Akwa Ibom understands these changes and take necessary steps to protect themselves, their families, and their livelihoods,” he said.
He appealed to citizens to take the following precautions which include wearing of nose mask, drinking sufficient water, covering of food and water to keep away dust, washing fruits thoroughly before eating, among others.
He directed all NOA structures within the state to engage with local communities through town hall meetings and collaboration.
He also urged engagement with schools and community leaders, to disseminate vital information on early warning signs, as well as safety protocols during extreme weather conditions.
The Chairman of Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State, Ms Surah Animashaun, has urged traders of Aiyetoro and Oluwo fish markets to consistently ensure a hygienic trading environment.
She urged the traders to maintain cleanliness and observe proper environmental sanitation in the markets.
Animashaun said this during a visit to some of the market areas in Epe on Saturday.
She said that clean markets were critical to public health.According to her, poor sanitation could lead to the outbreak of communicable diseases, especially in fish markets, where waste management must be handled with extra care.
The council chairman urged traders to dispose of refuse appropriately, avoid indiscriminate dumping of waste, and ensure regular cleaning of stalls and surroundings
She noted that environmental hygiene is a collective responsibility, adding that everyone should be involved in this development.
Animashaun also warned that the local government would not hesitate to enforce existing environmental laws, including sanctions against defaulters.
She assured traders of the council’s commitment to providing adequate waste disposal facilities and regular monitoring to sustain a clean and healthy market environment.
The council boss also urged traders to desist from selling by the roadside, so as to avoid accidents, noting that several motor accidents had occurred along the Aiyetoro market area.
“We, therefore, urge traders to stop selling on the roadside,” she said.
President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Mrs Margaret Oguntala, has inaugurated the construction of 18 units residential terrace in highbrow Alausa area of Lagos toward bridging the nation’s shelter gap.
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