Magnitude of the Orphans and Vulnerable Children OVC Crisis

The magnitude and severity of the OVC crisis in Nigeria is largely undetermined. It is evident that Nigeria is facing an OVC crisis with more than 7 million orphans due to AIDS and other causes, apart from millions of vulnerable children from several causes. There is a deepening and widening exclusion and invisibility of children in Nigeria. The information available paints a depressing picture of neglect, exploitation and abuse facing a large percentage of children today. It is estimated that 39% of children aged between 5 – 14 years are engaged in child labour; 43% of women aged 20 – 24 were married or in union before they were 18 years old between 1986 and 2004 (SWC, UNICEF 2006). A large proportion (40%) of street children may have been trafficked (ILO-IPEC 2001), estimated 40% do not attend primary school (NPC/ORC 2004) and the rights of most children in Nigeria are being denied.

HIV and AIDS became a national challenge over the past two decades when the first case was identified in a 13 year old street hawker. Since then, about one-quarter of the orphans population in Nigeria are due to HIV and AIDS. The situation of children is further compounded by the worsening vulnerability of children through high maternal mortality, poverty, diseases, armed conflicts, socio-political and ecological problems, and communal clashes leading to family dislocation and instability in family income.

Without taking determined steps to address the specific needs of children, there will be no chance of meeting the MDGs and NEEDS. Each of the MDGs is connected to the well-being of children. Failure to achieve these goals would have devastating consequences for the children of this generation and the adults they will become if they survive their childhood.