Civil society groups, with support from the European Union, have trained child protection advocates in Borno State to strengthen implementation of the newly passed Child Rights Act.

The one-day workshop held Jan. 8, 2026, in Maiduguri was organised by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) in collaboration with the EU, SOS Children’s Villages and partners, according to organisers.

Speaking on behalf of CISLAC Executive Director Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani), Mohammad Murtala, senior finance and administration officer at CISLAC, said the training focused on child rights advocacy, budget tracking and enforcement of child protection laws.

“Borno State has now domesticated the Child Rights Act, and the priority is effective implementation,” he said.

The EU-funded project is being implemented across Borno, Plateau and Edo states by a consortium including CISLAC and SOS Children’s Villages, working with the ministries of women’s affairs and justice.

Participants said the training was timely. Rukaiya Idris, a teacher and CSO administrator, noted that children remain highly vulnerable due to the impact of insurgency, adding that awareness of child protection laws is critical at the community level.

Wujema Zanna Kambar, secretary general of the Borno State Child Protection Network, said children are “the most fragile and easily abused”, stressing that the law provides a legal backbone to safeguard their rights.

Organisers said the key outcome is for participants to take the knowledge to grassroots communities to ensure the new law is enforced across the state.