BY JOY YESUFU, Abuja
The Director General, (DG) National Centre for Women Development, (NCWD) Mrs Mary Ekpere-Eta has said investing in education of girls and ensuring they remain in school is the best for young girls as it will enable them reach their dreams and better their livelihood.
Epere-Eta stated this on Sunday in Abuja while briefing journalists as part of activities to commemorate the 2020 International Day of the Girl Child with the theme “My voice our equal opportunity”.
The International day of the Girl Child is a day set aside by the United Nations for promoting the rights of girls and addressing the unique challenges they face. The day promotes girls’ human rights, highlights gender inequalities that remain between girls and boys and addresses the various forms of discrimination and abuse suffered by girls around the world.
She further said that in this rapidly changing world, girls who miss out on foundational education and life skills will be more vulnerable in the future and this will worsen inequality and re-echo poverty for generations to come.
“Thus all hands must be on deck to break existing barriers to girl child education in Nigeria.
“The impact of COVID-19 on the girl child cannot be over emphasized; during the lockdown, due to the economic situation, more girls were given out for marriage, raped and made pregnant.
“As schools are reopening in Nigeria, we would be able to analyze the full impact of COVID-19, on the girl child” she added.
The DG urged stakeholders to partner with the centre to advance the Nigerian girl child agenda, focus on the demand for girls to live free from Gender Based Violence, Harmful Traditional/Religious practices, HIV/AIDS, Menstrual Health Hygiene and COVID-19 preventive measures.
