UNICEF Organizes One-day Orientation Meeting To Stakeholders On SSRs In Sokoto
UNICEF Organizes One-day Orientation Meeting To Stakeholders On SSRs In Sokoto
The Social Register has been described as a crucial document providing credible and transparent data for social protection programs. State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Abubakar Muhammad Zayyana stated this at a one-day orientation meeting for seven pilot local government teams and stakeholders on the multidimensional model of the National Social Register in the state.
Dr. Abubakar Zayyana emphasized that social protection aims to reduce social injustice, exclusion and insecurity while improving human capital development, among other benefits.
He noted that the Social Register provides a data-driven policy for the government and partners to make informed planning decisions for interventions targeting beneficiaries and assessing their impact.
The Commissioner emphasized that with the government's commitment to numerous social protection interventions, coupled with the efforts of partners, positive change will be witnessed in the state's multidimensional index.
Dr. Zayyana, who emphasized the state government's focus on results rather than outcomes, charged all stakeholders to work diligently towards achieving the desired goals.
Speaking, the Chief of UNICEF, Sokoto Field Office, Mr. Michael Juma, represented by Mr. Isah Ibrahim, a Social Policy Specialist, said the new multidimensional social register approach is aimed at integrating most deprived households to the basic services including children fundamental rights to education, nutrition, health, birth certificate, access to water and sanitation among others.
He noted that It is also a single database of poor and vulnerable households, Community Profile and their deprivation Status in the country, which will be harmonizes all the State Social Registers (SSRs) and be available to any poverty intervention program, upon formal request.
The Social Policy Specialist, therefore appealed to the local government teams to cooperate with the enumerators and other teams for the successful expansion of the social register in order to integrate the target 250,000 households across the state.
He outlined a revised targeting and community engagement approach that focuses on multidimensional poverty aspects, aiming to create an inclusive, service-linking, and interoperable National Social Register that will address various deprivations while informing cross-sectoral planning.
Mr. Isah, revealed that, the new model seeks to integrate a multidimensional poverty perspective into the operations of the National Social Register, positioning it as a gateway to health, nutrition, education, and social services through established referral systems while ensuring inclusivity, equity, and transparency through enhanced community engagement and grievance redress mechanisms.
In his remarks, the Chairman of Shagari Local Government, Barrister Maidawa Kajiji, who spoke on behalf of the chairmen of the seven local governments, gave a pass mark to the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and UNICEF for introducing programs aimed at social protection in the state.
He observed that these initiatives would positively impact poverty reduction among the poor and vulnerable populations.
In a goodwill message, Sultan Sa'ad Abubakar, represented by the District Head of Gagi, Alhaji Sani Umar Jabbi, noted that the state government's efforts through the Ministry of Budget and that of UNICEF, are bridging gaps and harmonizing the Social Register for the overall benefit of the state. He called on the participants to support this crusade.
Earlier, the State Coordinator of the State Operations Coordinating Unit, Alhaji Chika Waziri Junaidu, noted that the meeting aimed to enhance social protection programs and improve the well-being of citizens in the state.
