As Nigeria prepares to celebrate the 2025 National Children’s Day on May 27, the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, fsi, has issued a clarion call to parents, teachers, policymakers, and the wider society to speak up and stand up against all forms of bullying threatening the wellbeing of Nigerian children.
Speaking at a press briefing held today, Monday, May 26, at the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs Creche in Abuja, the Minister said this year’s theme, “Speak Up, Stand Up: Building a Bullying-Free Generation,” is a rallying cry to eliminate physical, emotional, cyber, and institutional bullying, which she described as a growing national crisis.
“In Nigeria, 51.9% of adolescents report having been bullied, and 27.9% admit to bullying others. These statistics are not just numbers—they are cries for help,” she said, citing alarming national and global data, including tragic incidents such as the death of a 12-year-old in 2021 and cases of severe abuse in schools and homes.
The Minister commended recent steps by the Federal Ministry of Education, including the launch of a National Policy on Anti-Bullying, but emphasized the need for strict enforcement and collaboration across sectors.
“We must not operate in silos. There must be harmony in our efforts,” she urged, highlighting that bullying undermines the nation’s investment in education and violates constitutional protections and the Child Rights Act.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim also spotlighted key initiatives under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, including the National Costed Action Plan (2025–2030) launched in May and an upcoming rollout of national guidelines and revised policies addressing childcare, child protection, menstrual health, and adoption.
Events lined up for this year’s Children’s Day include a school rally at the Old Parade Ground, a showcase at the State House Banquet Hall, and a Children’s Day party, with additional focus on World Menstrual Hygiene Day, May 28.
Closing her remarks with a powerful call to action, the Minister urged stakeholders to act not just in words but with “purpose and soul,” encouraging parents to nurture with wisdom, teachers to lead with empathy, and communities to reject harmful cultural norms that perpetuate abuse.
“To the media,” she concluded, “you are indispensable in our fight for a safer society for the Nigerian child. Continue to report, amplify, and spotlight all cases of abuse and violence.”
The Minister also extended gratitude to President Tinubu, First Lady Senator Remi Tinubu, state governors, lawmakers, and development partners, reiterating that building a bullying-free generation is a shared responsibility.
Long live the Nigerian child. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.