…as Women and Children Development and Health Research Initiative, WCDHRI in partnership with Bigif, ministry of women affairs organize public discuss on girls right

By Akubulu Ngozi

In commemoration of the 12th Edition of the International Day of the Girl Child, IDGC, a Group,  Women and Children Development and Health Research Initiative, WCDHRI, Ekiti Unit, in partnership with stakeholders have drummed out support for the girl child rights, saying “girls are designed to be leading lights in a moral loosed world.”

The Call was made by the Chairman of WCDHRI, Dr Pius Ade-Ojo while delivering his speech at the Programme, tagged,” Investing in girls’ right: our leadership and well-being”, in Ado- Ekiti, today.

According to him, every nation is expected to be responsible for the well-being and the propagation of the rights of every female children as a proactive measure to protect the younger generation who are the leaders of tomorrow, as such, called for the prioritisation of  investments  towards the quality and rights of young people.

“This year’s IDGC is organised to drum support for the rights of our girls. Ekiti Girls are poised to be shining
examples and leading lights in our fractured world of moral rectitude.

” If we say that the youth are the leaders of tomorrow, then our priority investments
should be on the quality and rights of our young people which is unfortunately not so within our society. In the developed nations, it is a norm that girls are championing solutions and change in their communities, however, in our clime, it is a novelty to have girls making serious impact.

” In low-income countries like ours, one out of four girls drop out of lower secondary education while 4 out of 10 girls do not complete SSS 3 due to teenage pregnancy, forced mariage, domestic work, poverty, ignorance, commercial sex work, trafficking in persons for the purpose of exploitation. As a result of all these, girls are less likely to have reasonable education to enjoy leadership rights like their male counterparts.

Also in an interview, the Executive Director of WCDHRI, Dr Ade-Ojo, Comfort Olubunmi, she maintained that, children should be allowed to be part of the decision taking process of their lives as it  constitute part of their fundamental rights, adding that, the actualisation of these  rights can be ascertained through the understanding of a responsive lives to the girls.

She said,” We have so many challenges to the women folk, the girls tend to grow into this. I think most women were conditioned when they were young to what they become when they are married. That is why the theme for this year’s Programme is “Investing in the girls’ rights: our leadership and well-bell”, meaning that people are encouraged to pay much attention to the  resources needed in developing the girl child and their right.

“What are these rights, we have the child right act, we also have some perculiar rights that we can talk about, some of which include;  right to education, freedom of speech, freedom of association. Look at Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, If her parents had not allowed her  to explore her world, she wouldn’t have been where she is today. They should be allowed to take decisions or be part of the decision making process on issues that affect their lives, they should be allowed to speak out. They need to know that they can do alot, they are not limitless, they are broad.

“There’s no mother that would see her child eating left over would be happy. We might not be able to do much with the adult but we can still re-orientate them, the upcoming ones, let’s give them the appropriate information both the boys and the girls, when they have this information, they would know how to tackle these things. On this note, we want them to know that there’s no limitation to any goal set for yourself,  the skill is just the starting point. All they just have to do is to come out of their shell, take responsibility for their lives. As for the parents, they should see Okonjo Iweala as a model to impact their children.”

In her contribution, at the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Social Development and Gender Empowerment, Fola Richie Adebisi, represnted by  Mr Oguniyi Tolude who spoke on ways to counter vulnerabilty among the girl child, having listed out physical and mental well-being promotion, abstinence, fostering of a supportive environment, gender equality among others as a way to conter menace.

More so, the Chairman of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalist, NAWOJ, Ekiti Chapter, while delivering her good will message, restated the Union’s unwavering support for the Girl Child, saying, ” NAWOJ will not relent until the rights of the girls are effected.”

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