The Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, OFR, KSG has described the newly commissioned Vulnerable Children Database Situation Room as “a milestone in our advocacy for availability of credible data for addressing issues and challenges of vulnerable children in Nigeria.
Dame Tallen made this declaration on Tuesday, 30th November, 2021 when she was commissioning the Vulnerable Children Database Situation Room put up by her Ministry with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Dame Tallen painted the significance of the commissioning of the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Situation room as “Holding on the wings of the 16-Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign.”
The women affairs minister revealed that since the commencement of the National Response on Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in 2005, issues of data collection and reporting were major challenges facing stakeholders.
In a statement signed by Olujimi Oyetomi, a Director, Press & Public Relations of the Unit, the minister said:.
“With stakeholders support and engagement, the Ministry was initially able to develop a paper-based data system that had multiple challenges, clogging down the wheel of progress on OVC service delivery and data tracking.”
While trying to resolve the gap described above, USAID approached the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and proffered a solution by introducing the National Management Information System (NOMIS) which transformed OVC data situation in the Country.
“The gap in OVC data availability and reporting, despite the NOMIS prompted series of collaborative efforts between the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, USAID and Data.Fi to revitalize the database by redesigning the NOMIS architecture to meet world standard, ensure compatibility with other databases and upgrading of the server. The result of these efforts has brought us thus far to this historic event of a repositioned OVC situation room where real time data can be obtained with ease. This effort will no doubt enhance the Data Generation and Management at National, Regional and international levels during meetings on children.”
For the efforts of USAID, the Honourable Minister has nothing short of commendation and appreciations:
“I wish to commend the efforts of USAID and the ICT Team – Data.Fi towards the refurbishment of the OVC Situation Room towards achieving our set goals on OVC data availability for proper program planning and implementation to enhance OVC service delivery in the country.”
While presenting a plaque in appreciation of the USAID’ Mission Director in Nigeria, Anne Peterson, Dame Tallen invited other stakeholders to
“Please come on board to support the vision of the Ministry by utilizing the Situation Room to develop evidence–based planning and programming hinged on credible data. We can all through commitment and foresight emulate the contributions of USAID and commit to a harmonious and sustainable data system that will place Nigeria in the League of Nations that are data compliant in accountability and commitments.”
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Engr. Olufunso Adebiyi, FNSE who was represented by the Director of Economic Services of the Ministry, Mr. Idris Mohammed assured all Nigerians and partners of Federal Ministry of Women Affairs that the Ministry
“will continue to take the lead and provide all the necessary support needed to ensure that OVC data is readily available in the country for proper programme planning.”
