EMPOWERING GIRLS FOR A BETTER TOMORROW
History of the International Day of the Girl child.
INTERNATIONAL day of the girl child is an international observance day declared by the United Nations, it is also called the DAY OF THE GIRLS and the international day of the girl. October 11, 2012, was the first day of the girl child. The observation supports more opportunity for girls and increases awareness of gender inequality faced by girls worldwide based upon their gender.
This inequality includes areas such as access to education, nutrition, legal rights, medical care and protection from discrimination, violence against women and forced child marriage. The celebration of the day also reflects the successful emergence of girls and young women as a distinct cohort in development policy programming, campaign and research.
The international day of the girls’ initiative began as a project of plan international, a nongovernmental organization that operates worldwide. The idea for an international day of observance and celebration grew out of plan internationals because I AM A GIRL campaign, which raises awareness of the importance of nurturing girls globally and in developing countries in particular. The Theme for this year is:
EMPOWERING GIRLS FOR A BETTER TOMORROW
The Highlight of Activities:
The following Ministries, Agency, parastatals and individuals were actively present in the stakeholders’ forum:
- Ministry of Education
- Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development
- State Universal Basic Education
- School-Based Management Committee, State Chapter
- CSACEFA, State Chapter
- Media
- Teachers
- Pupil/students
Phone-in Radio Programme:
A one-hour phone-in programme was held on Royal FM Radio Station to sensitize the general public on the commemoration of the International Day of Girls Child and educate them on the importance of this year’s theme.
Opening Remark by the State CSACEFA Coordinator: ALHAJA NIMOTA LABAIKA
The CSACEFA Coordinator, Kwara State, on behalf of the Coalition welcomed all participants to the commemoration of 2019 International Day of Girl Child. She introduced the dignitaries who include: representatives from SUBEB, SBMCs, MOWA &SD, NUT, SUBEB (SMD), MoE & HCD, FIDA. She appreciated the Guest speaker for her prompt attendance being the first to arrive at the venue. Also, she stated that the aim of the commemoration is to focus on the roles of parents and government in promoting entrepreneurship of the girl child. It was noted that empowering the girls’ child will not only help individuals to grow but also contribute to the overall growth and upliftment of the nation and the world at large.
- For successful implementation, the government should enact a law that is binding on all and that cannot be changed at will by the government of the day.
- Continuous sensitization of parents and guardians on the benefits of education and empowering girls, this will also aid acceptability and support by the populace.
- The government should be ready and patriotic enough to support the process with adequate funding and giving incentives to encourage and attract more girls to the learning of skills.
Presentation: GUEST SPEAKER: BAR.FASILAT BALOGUN
The speaker started with a diagram which was displaced for all to see with a woman having seven hands doing all the house chores including taking care of her husband, she then asked who really need to be empowered from the diagram and all echoed THE WOMAN because of her strength. She described empowerment as the strength to be independent and the values placed on girls vary from family, culture, society and environment.
Girls are so vulnerable so, they shouldn’t be denied of any right. To empower girls, gender inequality should be erased from our society with the girls knowing their rights because, without right, empowerment cannot happen. Kwara State Government has registered children right Act under section 9 2016. She further mentioned the types of empowerment which are:
- Cultural empowerment
- Language empowerment
- Societal empowerment (community, relating to others)
- Psychological empowerment (ability to absorb societal challenges)
- Economic empowerment (jobs) learning skills was advised
- Political empowerment (voting, politics)
Sustainable development is put in place by the government to empower girls in Nigeria with a child right Act under section 9, 2016. For a society to be better empowerment of boys and girls is advised. She asserted that girls tend to plan and are more ambitious than boys based on research.
Lastly, she advised girls to be educated which reduces self-esteem and malnutrition in the society, girls should be more supported in a crisis like rape cases etc. Every child has the right to their future and faith and they should be encouraged.
In addition, Dr.(Mrs.) Basirat Oloyin also added no girl child no women and no women no nation because the girl child is the foundation. She advised that every girl should learn a skill in line with education and she said every girl child should always say ” I am a girl child and I am a symbol of success”.
