The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dame Pauline Tallen has expressed deep concerns and dismay over the condition of girls in the country, decribing the situation as “worrisome.”
Tallen stated this during a press briefing organised by the ministry to mark the 2019 International Day of the Girl Child (IDGC) on the theme, ” GirlForce: Unscripted and Unstoppable” – “Free and Compulsory Quality Secondary Education for All Girls.
Tallen lamented that the girl child who should be the most respected and accomplished asset to the nation is rather denigrated in most places, adding that they are marginalized, abused, exploited, neglected due to her sex and other social cultural practices.
“In some parts of Nigeria, the story of the child is worrisome, so many marriages have broken down due to reasons related to the wife giving birth to all girls and many women lostbtheir lives in the process of looking for male children not realising that the girl child is a powerful being,” she said.
She stressed the need for all girls irrespective of tribe or religion to complete at least secondary education, stressing that education of the girl is smart economics that opens all opportunities for socio economic growth and development.
” The 1999 constitution stipulates that every child , (boy or girl) has the right to education. However, there are over 13.5 million children that are not in school and are not receiving any form of training to help them improve their livelihood.
“Out of these 13.5million children, the girl child constitutes tje highest number of about 60% according to UNICEF 2017 report,” she said.
“Varrious forms of violence against children, are known to affect girls more than boys. The girl child is most often denied education in favour of her brothers, forced to early marriage and made to hawk and sometimes trafficked.
” This scenario is not acceptable and we must change the narratives for Nigeria to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) particularly goal 4: to “Ensure inclusive and equitable education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all,” she stressed.
The Minister further decried the access to portable water and sanitary services for girls, maintaining that not less than one million girls miss 2-3 days of school during their menstruation cycle.
She however noted that Nigeria has endorsed the world wide initiative on menstrual health and hygiene management, adding that this would enable girls achieve their full potential and contribute meaningfully to national development.
The IDGC is celebrated annually on October 11 to promote girls’s empowerment and fulfilment of her human rights while also highlighting the challenges that girls all over the world face.
