Girl-child day: Edo to eliminate hurdles against girl-child Ajimobi, Shittu, Call for protection, empowerment
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has said his administration is committed to eliminating the hurdles and societal drawbacks hindering the girl-child and women.
Obaseki who said this on the occasion to commemorate the International Day for the Girl-child, said empowering the girl-child would mitigate her vulnerability. “The way to address this is comprehensive education covering formal, informal and non-formal modes for the girl-child which will prepare her adequately for the challenges of life,” he said, adding, “In Edo State, our support for the Female Mechanic Initiative has produced young professional female mechanics that manage the state government’s fleet of vehicles. This effort is mainstreaming girls and ladies in the workforce and arming them with the capacity to earn good wages and walk shoulder high with their male counterparts.”
In Kano State, the Kwankwasiyya Movement called on governments at all levels to design modalities to protect girls against violation of their rights.
The Women Leader of the movement, Hajiya Zainab Audu Bako, told a press conference yesterday that girls had been subjected to serious challenges in their lives, as they became victims of gender discrimination, female genital mutilation, forced and or early marriage, physical and sexual violence, child trafficking and forced labor.
She said it was pertinent for government at all levels to protect the girl child against such things.
In Oyo State, the wife of Governor Abiola Ajimobi, Mrs Florence Ajimobi and that of the Minister of Communications, Alhaja Ameenat Adebayo-Shittu yesterday respectively called for the protection, education and empowerment of the girl-child for them to attain their full potentials.
Both Ajimobi and Shittu spoke at different enlightenment programmes they organized to celebrate the International Day of the Girl-Child.
Mrs. Shittu who gathered hundreds of secondary school girls from across the state under her pet project, Ideal Forum Initiatives, harped on the need for them to have a clear cut vision and note that every individual is created for a purpose which must be fulfilled.
On her part, Mrs. Ajimobi stressed the importance of girls’ ability to dream and have the liberty to lead in the capacity they find themselves without having any obstacles based on their gender.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Children’s Fund ( UNICEF) and other organisations have called on leaders and parents to put more effort towards educating and ensuring the welfare of the girl-child.
The call was made in Bauchi yesterday at the 2017 International Day of the Girl-Child organised by High Level Women Advocates (HILWA) and the State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB) with support from Bauchi UNICEF field office.