International Day of the Girl 2022: ActionAid Nigeria Calls for increased investment in girls and the Enactment of the Childs Right Law in the 5 outstanding states.

In commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the day of the girl (IDG), ActionAid Nigeria calls on all Governors of the five (5) states yet to enact the Childs Right Act (CRA) that the time to act is NOW!

Speaking in Abuja, the Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Comrade Ene Obi says “It’s been nineteen (19) years since the passage of the Child’s Right Act in Nigeria yet, five states i.e., Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Kano and Zamfara haven’t domesticated this law. The immediate passage to the law of the CRA will enable children especially the girl child, to reach their fullest potential like education, play and leisure, cultural activities, access to information and freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.

In line with the theme of this year’s celebration ‘Our time is now – Our right, our future’ ActionAid will continue to work in ensuring that the rights of girls are protected, and they are free from any form of violence. Over the years, as we work in different states and community, we have seen firsthand how issues such as early marriage, school enrollment, sexual and gender-based violence, menstrual hygiene and harmful social cultural practices against the girls have reduced their productivity and place a limitation on them.’’

The Country Director, Comrade Ene Obi, commends the efforts of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in their support to give girls the voice they need, but more needs to be done, as the number of girls violated, abused, and molested is on the increase. She reiterated that ‘‘In July 2022, the United Nations Children Education Fund affirmed that over 60 percent of 10 million out-of-school children in Nigeria are girls. ActionAid believes that investing decisively in girl's education not only equips them with skills and knowledge to grow and prosper, but it helps the wider community to thrive as well. Girls who stay in school are more likely to support themselves, look after their health, avoid early marriage and pregnancy and contribute to the society.’’

ActionAid Nigeria, therefore, calls on the Federal, State and Local Governments to immediately ensure that areas around -  subsidizing education for girls, ending child marriage, eradicating harmful social cultural practices like Female Genital Mutilation, creation of safe spaces for girls to co-exist, enhancing their participation and voice in decision making, increased scholarship for girls in professional careers, ending child labor and overburdened care work amongst others are prioritised as we commemorate the 2022 international Day of the Girls.

‘‘In conclusion, ActionAid Nigeria enjoins all States that have enacted the Child’s Right Act to establish a costed implementation plan to ensure that it works in solving issues around girls.’’ She also calls for full implementation for all the states that have domesticated to follow through with full implementation of the Act it.  Concluded ActionAid Nigeria’s Country Director, Ene Obi.

 SIGNED: Comrade Ene Obi, Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria. 

#ENDS

Editor’s Note ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) is a national non-governmental, non-partisan, non-religious, civil society organization and an affiliate member of the ActionAid International Federation with presence in 45 countries. AAN works in solidarity with people living in poverty and exclusion to achieve social justice, gender equality and poverty eradication towards achieving a just, equitable and sustainable world in which every person enjoys the right to a life of dignity, freedom from poverty and all forms of oppression.

CONTACT Oluwakemi Akinremi-Segun - Communications Coordinator, ActionAid Nigeria Tel: +234(0)8092076904 Email: Oluwakemi.AkinremiSe@actionaid.org | Info.nigeria@actionaid.org Website: www.actionaid-ngr.org Facebook: ActionAidNigeria Twitter: @ActionAidNG