The Onyedinma Foundation has commended the Abia State Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, and its partner, the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme for the Inauguration of Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy Drafting Committee.
The foundation described the move as timely and courageous, it is commendable decision to inaugurate a dedicated committee for the drafting of the Abia State Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.
DrumAfricanews reports that the Onyedinma Foundation had earlier advocated for a mandatory child safeguarding policy in primary and secondary schools in Abia State.
As highlighted in its formal letter dated February 20, 2026, addressed to the Commissioners of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Women Affairs, and Basic Education, the alarming incident involving the alleged defilement of a three-year-old girl by a school gateman in Aba in January 2026 was more than a tragedy.
The foundation said the situation and several cases were stark indictment of systemic gaps in child safeguarding infrastructure across educational institutions and community systems in Abia State.
As learnt, that case, alongside other recurring reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation, underscored an urgent need for a comprehensive, enforceable, and rights-based framework, one that moves beyond reactive responses to proactive prevention, accountability, and institutional strengthening as demanded by Onyedimma Foundation.
DrumAfricanews reports that the formal inauguration, which took place on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Umuahia, the state capital, marks a pivotal moment in Abia’s commitment to placing children at the heart of governance, policy, and public service delivery.
Onwuka Glory, Executive Director of Onyedimma Foundation said that the proposed policy is therefore both necessary and transformative.
The policy according to Onwuka is ‘critical to ensuring coordinated, rights-based, and sustainable interventions for the safety and well-being of children in the state.’
“We at the Onyedinma Foundation fully endorse this vision. A robust Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy will harmonise mandates across ministries, local governments, civil society, traditional institutions, and schools; strengthen referral pathways for survivors; institutionalise mandatory reporting mechanisms; and embed child-centred principles into budgeting, monitoring, and capacity-building processes.”
She said that most importantly, it affirms that every child in Abia State regardless of location, socioeconomic background, or disability status has an inalienable right to safety, dignity, and protection under the law.
“The Onyedinma Foundation urges all levels of government and citizens alike to embrace this policy as a collective covenant with Abia’s children; their future is non-negotiable.’
Onwuka to DrumAfricanews reports that the Onyedinma Foundation is a youth- and women-led Nigerian non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering girls, women, foster care children, and other vulnerable people, especially in rural communities, to promote inclusion and combat all forms of modern slavery.
The foundation according to her, envisions a society where no one is exploited. “Our mission is to galvanize support for the protection of vulnerable members of society from all forms of discrimination and exploitation, empowering them with skills for livelihood and participation in the decision-making process” she said
