Nigeria improves in basic services, says UN report

Nigeria’s Progress in Equitable Quality Basic Services

The 2022 annual United Nations report highlighted Nigeria’s advancements in providing equitable quality basic services. These improvements encompassed various sectors, including health, education, protection, water, sanitation, and hygiene.

Health

The Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys report for 2021 demonstrated positive changes in Nigeria’s health indicators. Key findings include:

• Skilled birth attendance increased from 43% in 2021 to 51% in 2022.
• Anaemia in women decreased from 58% in 2021 to 55% in 2022.
• 62.4% of women received a postnatal check-up within two days of giving birth.

The Penta-3 vaccination coverage for children under one year old rose to 79% in 2022, compared to 75% in 2021. This represents a significant increase of 24 points over the past five years, indicating improved immunization rates.

Contraception prevalence among women remained at 18%, which aligns with the incidence of adolescent births at the same rate.

Education

Educational progress was observed with a Gender Parity Index of 0.99 for primary school (compared to 0.95 in 2017) and 1.05 for junior secondary school (compared to 0.97 in 2017), according to the MICS.

Key findings include:

• 73.1% of children completed primary education, an increase from 63% in 2017.
• Adult literacy rate was 65.4%, while the youth literacy rate was 73.5%.
• The out-of-school rates in 2022 were 26% for primary school and 25% for secondary school.
• The transition rate from primary to lower secondary was 84%.

Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene

Access to basic sanitation increased from 40% in 2017 to 47% in 2022. Additionally:

• 80% of the population had access to basic drinking water services.
• 31% of households had access to basic hygiene services.
• Only 14% of the population had access to complete basic water, sanitation, and hygiene services.

Protection

The report highlighted improvements in efforts to protect adolescents, women, and girls from sexual violence and abuse. It also acknowledged the expansion of social protection at federal and state levels.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators in the Article

1. SDGs Addressed or Connected to the Issues Highlighted in the Article:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

2. Specific Targets Based on the Article’s Content:

• SDG 3.1: By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births.
• SDG 3.2: By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age.
• SDG 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
• SDG 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.
• SDG 6.2: By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.
• SDG 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.
• SDG 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied in the Article:

• Skilled birth attendance
• Anaemia in women
• Postnatal check-up within two days of giving birth
• Penta-3 vaccination coverage for children under one year old
• Contraception prevalence among women
• Incidence of adolescent births
• Gender Parity Index for primary and junior secondary school
• Percentage of children finishing primary education
• Adult literacy rate
• Youth literacy rate
• Out-of-school rates for primary and secondary school
• Access to basic sanitation
• Percentage of population using basic drinking water services
• Percentage of households with access to basic hygiene services
• Percentage of population with access to complete basic water, sanitation, and hygiene services
• Efforts to protect adolescents, women, and girls from sexual violence and abuse
• Efforts to expand social protection at federal and state levels

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: punchng.com

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