In commemoration of International Women’s Day, the United Nations Children’s Funds (UNICEF) has advocated for the empowerment of women with education and financial resources.
At a media dialogue in Gombe yesterday, UNICEF said if well empowered women can reduce the cases of maternal mortality.
Speaking on the theme: “Invest In Women, She Is The Solution”, one of the resource persons, Mr. Olusheyi Kabati, said maternal mortality cases mostly occurred in uneducated and poor families.
He identified poverty and illiteracy as major factors that lead to death of mothers and babies during pregnancy and birth.
“Adolescent girls’ rights worldwide are under threat, with progress on key issues either stagnating or regressing on a global scale.
“In the face of challenges such as the ongoing global economic crisis, political turmoil, and humanitarian emergencies, adolescent girls are often overlooked, exploited, or placed in precarious situations.
“Shockingly, one in seven girls in developing countries is married before reaching the age of 15. Moreover, adolescent girls continue to face elevated risks of sexual violence,” he said.
He noted that if present trajectories persist, the number of girls and women living in extreme poverty in sub-Saharan Africa is projected to increase by 2030.
Nearly half of adolescent girls in UNICEF programme countries suffer from anemia and lack access to essential health and nutrition services in the event of pregnancy, Kabati stated.
