Niger Delta Human Development Report - UNDP Nigeria - United ...

available data suggest that females have
equal opportunities for education. The
MDG targets on gender equality in primary,
secondary and tertiary enrolment
have either already been attained or are
attainable by 2015.
In some states, a higher proportion of girls
than boys are in primary and secondary
schools. There is a serious concern, however,
that many boys of secondary school
age have abandoned their formal education
to go into business activities, rather
than completing their education. This is
particularly common in Abia and Imo
states. If not properly addressed, this phenomenon
could spread to other parts of
the region. ‘Standby money’ 3 also cuts into
enrolment rates at higher school levels.
For tertiary education, the story is a little
different. Gender equality is far away in
some states, although it could be achieved
by 2015. Table 2.6 shows that a few states
are already very close.
Although an appreciable number of women
are appointed as directors general in state
public services, the situation is not the same
for political positions. Looking at gender
equality as measured by parliamentary seats
held by women, many states do not have
a single female representative in the National
Parliament. This scenario repeats
itself in legislatures across the country.
4. Reduce child mortality
Assessing progress in reducing child mortality
requires data on such indicators as
under-five and infant mortality rates, and
the percentage of one-year-olds fully immunized
against measles. In the estimates
derived from the Nigeria Demographic
and Health Survey (NDHS) for 1999,
conducted by the National Population
Commission, the infant and child mortality
rates for the Niger Delta region were
estimated at about 48 and 35 per 1,000,
respectively, compared with national rates
of 71 and 67 per 1,000, respectively. Table
2.7 presents a vivid picture of the situation
as of 2003. The Niger Delta region
performed very poorly on neonatal, postneonatal
and infant mortality, with the
worst post-neonatal mortality rate in Nigeria.
Even where it performed moderately
well, the achievement is not commensurate
with the resources generated by the
region.
As for immunization against measles, available
data show that the proportions of fully
immunized under-one-year-olds are 61.5
per cent for males and 49.5 per cent for
females. Evidence from the 2003 NDHS
reveals that only 20.8 per cent of the children
between 12 and 23 months had been
vaccinated against the killer diseases as
opposed to 32.5 per cent and 44.6 per cent
in the South-West and South-East regions
of Nigeria, respectively. In addition, only
25.1 per cent of children with acute respiratory
infections and fever sought treatment
from health providers, as against 52.6
per cent and 49.5 per cent in the South-
West and North-Central regions, respectively
(see NDHS 2003: 132). Since no
time-series data are available, it is extremely
Table 2.7: Child and Infant Mortality Rates by the Regions of Nigeria
Neonatal Post-neonatal Infant Child Under-five
mortality mortality mortality mortality mortality
National 53 56 109 121 217
North-Central 53 49 103 70 165
North-East 61 65 125 154 260
North-West 55 59 114 176 269
South-East 34 32 66 40 103
South- South 53 68 120 63 103
South- West 39 30 69 47 113
Source: NDHS 2003.
NIGER DELTA HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT
Nationally, 30.4 per
cent of women say
they cannot afford
health care. In the
delta, the figure is
47.1 per cent.
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