The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has established the Institute of Social Policy in partnership with Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State.
The UNICEF Country Representative, Cristin Munduate, said during the launch that the initiative was to enhance research, generate evidence, formulate policies, and develop human capacity among individuals and government institutions across federal, state, and local levels in Nigeria.
She said that with the technical and financial support from UNICEF, the programme was developed to address significant knowledge and capacity gaps that were identified through a strategic partnership established in 2018.
According to her, more of such institutions would be established in various institutions across the country, even as she urged the various tiers of government to see education as an investment.
She said: ‘The initiative aligns with UNICEF’s commitment to strengthening the government frameworks and empowering stakeholders to promote child rights and sustainable development.
‘This initiative marks a critical step towards building a robust group of professionals who will drive evidence-based policy planning and implementation in Nigeria. Through our partnership with academic institutions, we are establishing a foundation for sustainable social development that emphasizes the rights of children and women.’
The Institute offers Post Graduate Diploma (PGD), Master’s in Social Policy (MSP); Master of Science (MSc); and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Social Policy.
Also, it will offer short courses tailored to meet the specific needs of organisations, focusing on essentials such as poverty measurement and analysis, public financial management, social protection & investment, and social policy design, analysis and evaluation.
The Director of the Institute, Prof. Uche Nwogwugwu, said the university had provided a conducive environment for intending students, stressing that the programme would be research based and would help to solve contemporary problems in society.
While commending UNICEF for mounting the programme at UNIZIK, Nwogwugwu said, ‘The child is no doubt, the focus of UNICEF mandate, and as such, we expect our partners to show interest in all our products to enable our society to positively move on the ladder of development.’
The Acting Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Professor Joseph Ikechebelu, expressed happiness at the choice of UNIZIK for the programme.
He said, ‘The establishment of the Institute of Social Policy signifies a new chapter in our commitment to research and capacity building in social policy.
‘This partnership with UNICEF will enable us to equip and empower future leaders by providing them with essential skills and knowledge to address intricate social issues, thereby contributing to sustainable development in Nigeria.’
