Milestone in Child Welfare: Abia State Adopts Alternative Child Care Guidelines
The endorsement took place during a high-level validation meeting held at the Ministry of Women Affairs headquarters in Umuahia. The event was convened by the Abia State Government to review and formally adopt the policy document, which outlines standardized procedures for the care and protection of children without parental care.
Participants at the meeting included representatives from the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the National Children’s Parliament, the traditional institution, and media organizations, among others.
Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Maureen Aghukwa, called for the formal endorsement of the guidelines during the meeting. The motion to validate the document was moved by Comrade Victor Orji, Director of NOA in Abia State, and seconded by CSP Ngozi Kanu, Officer in Charge of Gender at the Nigeria Police Force, Abia State Command.
Delivering her keynote address, Dr. Aghukwa said the guidelines would serve as a legal and policy framework to protect children who are unable to live with their biological families due to abandonment, abuse, or other crises. She emphasized that the document aligns with national legislation and international standards, including the United Nations Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children...
Ambassador Onyinyechi Joy Nwosu, Abia State Coordinator of the Child Protection Network (CPN), said the document outlines procedures for assessing, placing, and supporting children in alternative care arrangements. These include kinship care, foster care, adoption, residential care, and emergency placements, with a clear preference for family-based and community-driven solutions over institutional care.
She noted that the validation marks the culmination of several years of collaborative work between the Ministry of Women Affairs, the Child Protection Network, and development partners, particularly SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria.
Abia State has formally validated its Guidelines for Alternative Child Care, marking a significant milestone in child protection and welfare reform.
The newly validated guidelines are expected to reduce unnecessary institutionalization of children, reinforce family and community-based care structures, and establish uniform protocols for child placement and ongoing monitoring.
With this milestone, Abia State joins a growing number of Nigerian states championing child welfare reform — ensuring that no child is left without love, safety, and dignity.