ADAMAWA CS-SUNN CHAMPIONS NUTRITION ADVOCACY: INCREASED MATERNITY LEAVE AND COLLABORATION HIGHLIGHTED

 

Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria - June 29, 2024 – 

The Adamawa State Chapter of the Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), has concluded a series of successful advocacy meetings with key government officials. 

These meetings aimed to address critical nutrition challenges in the state.

The CS-SUNN delegation, comprised of representatives from eleven NGOs led by the state coordinator Mr. Ibrahim Bello, met with the Commissioner of Health and Human Services, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Budget and Planning, and the Head of Civil Service. Their advocacy focused on three key areas:

Increased Budgetary Allocation: CS-SUNN called for a significant increase in the state budget allocated to nutrition programs. They emphasized the long-term benefits of investing in nutrition for child development, public health, and overall economic prosperity.

Extended Paid Maternity Leave: The delegation advocated for extending paid maternity leave for female civil servants from 3 months to 6 months. This change according to the advocates would promote maternal and infant health by allowing more time for recovery and fostering optimal breastfeeding practices.

Enhanced Collaboration: CS-SUNN underscored the importance of stronger collaboration between government agencies, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to develop a more holistic and effective approach to tackling malnutrition in Adamawa State.

According to the state coordinator Mr, Ibrahim Bello who spoke with our reporter shortly after the meeting with the Head of Civil Service, Adamawa State, said tha the advocacy meetings yielded positive results.

 He noted that the “Commissioner of Health and Human Services acknowledged the challenges of malnutrition and expressed commitment to securing a supplementary budget for nutrition interventions. 

The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Budget and Planning assured CS-SUNN that nutrition would be prioritized in future budget planning and promised to monitor the proper use of allocated funds. 

Most significantly, the Head of Civil Service strongly supported the request for extended paid maternity leave. He pledged to champion this cause and table the request before other policy and decision makers in the state.”

The group vowed to intensify advocacy efforts by targeting higher-level policymakers and government officials in their subsequent engagements.