Opara Calls For End To Child Marriage, Greater Investment In Girl-Child

Olympian and performance coach, Ambassador Christy Opara MON, has called for concerted action to end child marriage and create greater opportunities for girls through sports, education and mentorship.

Opara, founder of Soho24 Foundation, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja while unveiling plans for the foundation’s 2026 International Day of the Girl Child programme.

The programme, themed “Empowerment of the Girl-Child Through Sports Development, Education and Performances,” will be held on Thursday, 8 October, at the Soho24 Foundation Sports Park, Kado, Abuja, ahead of the global observance on 11 October.

Speaking on the theme of this year’s commemoration, “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights,” Opara said protecting the rights, dignity, education, safety and future of girls must become a collective responsibility.

She said the foundation’s programme would go beyond a sporting event by providing girls with opportunities to learn, participate, compete, perform, develop confidence and discover their talents.

“A girl deserves the opportunity to grow. She deserves to learn. She deserves to be protected. She deserves to discover her talents,” Opara said.

“She deserves access to sports and healthy development, mentorship, the opportunity to dream and the opportunity to determine the direction of her own future.”

According to the Olympian, sports can serve as a powerful tool for developing discipline, confidence, leadership, teamwork and resilience among young girls.

She said the initiative was also aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4 on quality education, SDG 5 on gender equality and SDG 10 on reduced inequalities.

Opara urged government institutions, parents, schools, traditional and religious leaders, corporate organisations, development partners, civil society groups and the media to play their part in creating an environment where girls are protected, educated and empowered.

“Investment in the girl-child is not simply an investment in today. It is an investment in tomorrow,” she said.

The foundation also announced the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the National Council for Women Societies (NCWS) as new institutional partners for the initiative.

Opara expressed appreciation to the Defence Headquarters, Nigeria Immigration Service and other stakeholders who supported the foundation’s maiden programme in 2025, saying their contributions provided a platform for the expansion of this year’s edition.

She also appealed to the media to use its platforms to amplify the voices, achievements and aspirations of girls.

The foundation’s founder said her personal experience as an Olympian and performance coach had reinforced her belief in the transformative power of opportunity.

She said the objective was for every girl participating in the programme to leave with greater confidence, stronger skills and a renewed belief in her potential.

“Our message is simple: every girl deserves a future, every girl deserves an opportunity, every girl deserves protection, every girl deserves education and every girl deserves a voice,” Opara said.

She called for a shift from awareness to action, urging stakeholders to turn partnerships into tangible impact and investment into empowerment.