How UNICEF Tackles Girls Molestation Through G4G
UNICEF with support from UKAID, its educational programme known as Girls for Girls (G4G), has come to the rescue of many girls in Zamfara to protect them from being molested.
Da nan, da nan, da nan, da nan. Ba mai tabawa sai dai ni kadai.
Here and here and here and here. No one must touch them except me alone.
The above is a rendition in Hausa language, the predominant tongue in northern Nigeria, especially in the North-west, where Zamfara State is geographically located, and a place where the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), with support from the United Kingdom Agency for International Development (UKAID) has taken its crusade on the development and promotion of girls education initiative which is known as Girls for Girls (G4G).
A team of journalists from the print and electronic, programme officers and facilitators, as well as UNICEF staff paid a scheduled visit to one of the beneficiary schools of the programme; Gurubi Model Primary School, in Talata Mafara LGA of the state .
After the usual greetings in several of the classes which the pupils had all extended to the visitors in an exciting manner, some women who are members of the High Level Women Advocates (HiLWA), a group comprising of women professionals from all sectors of the society, chorused what sounded like a political slogan, and in response, the girls began to sing and demonstrate by touching some parts of their bodies which were the lips, chests, pelvic regions and buttocks.
They had been taught sex education according to the best of their understanding and based on their ages which were within 12- 16 years. This method of retention was adopted as a result of documented research which posits that with continuous repetition of words, the brain or retentive memory is bound to remember and never forget what has been taught.
This had also become important as global statistics has revealed that 7 out of 10 girls have been molested. However, several of such cases are neither reported or even discussed, as the perpetrators, most often than not, are usually members of the girl’s family or rich and ‘well- respected’ members of the society.
To forestall such indecent practices against the girls who have defied all imaginary fears associated to western education and have accepted to go to school, they have been taught what molestation is and the need for their bodies to be respected by all irrespective of social status and family ties.
The girls sang with vigour and so much zest, an indication that they knew who they are in terms of creation, what they stood for, in terms of individuality and personality, and what they hope to achieve in life with the presence of the G4G programme in their community.
Their actions was also an indication that they were in tune with the level of self awareness and openness they had been exposed to, all thanks to UNICEF and UKAID and other partners.
One of the pupils, Maimuna Hamisu, 16, who like all the pupils was dressed in a checkeduniformed material and sewn veil, popularly referred to as ‘hijab’ in local parlance, and with an inscription ‘I Pledge To Remain In School’, said the programme has helped her to improve on her personal hygiene, cooking skills, respect for elders and members of her community.
Moreso, it has positively impacted on her entire life and destiny as she hopes to be a medical doctor someday. Sadly, she registered her displeasure concerning other girls who were out of school simply because they preferred to go hawking during school hours.
Hamisu who spoke in Hausa said, “I feel privileged to be exposed to G4G type of education even though I am 16 years old in primary six. My age and class doesn’t matter to me as I have been able to learn life’s goals and lessons with the hope of becoming a medical doctor. Some of the things I have learnt in the G4G programme is how to improve on my personal hygiene, skills acquisition such as how to make different with the use of beads, soap making and how to cook balanced diet meals in their right proportion.
“I am not happy that there are girls of my age in this community who have not ceased the opportunity given by UNICEF to enrol in school. I will like to tell them that money is not everything as the reason behind their refusal to enrol in school is because they go hawking. I will like to tell them that with education, they can achieve a lot more and later give back to the society what society has given to them. By the grace of God, I will never drop out of school.”
Malama Amina Abdullahi, a middle- age advocate for girls education and also the leader of the mothers’ association in the community, which has bought the UNICEF initiative and is working hand in hand with the girls towards ensuring that the maximum impact of the programme is achieved, said noticeable impactful changes have been observed in the lives of the beneficiaries.
She noted that as a mother, the programme has enlightened them well enough to know and understand that there’s nothing to be ashamed of between a mother and her daughter when it comes to knowing their bodies and recognising the physical, psychological, physiological and emotional changes which are normal, natural and are bound to arise as time goes on.
The advocate said fortunately enough, they have never had cases of child molestation since the commencement of the programme in the community as the teachers and mentors comprising both males and females have been responsible enough to know the importance of children and what they represent in every society.
Abdullahi who also communicated in Hausa, and with so much passion about the effects of child molestation, reiterated that should there be such a case, the mothers’ association will ensure that such a teacher is reported to the authorities and humiliated so as to serve as deterrent to other predators.
According to her:” We have never had such a satanic person and incredulous act in our school and by God’s grace, we will never record such. We teach and tell our daughters never to be afraid to confide in us when the issue of molestation arises. We tell them that on no account must a man or a boy touch them in sensitive parts of their bodies as the sole aim of their being in school is not to be touched by the opposite sex, but to be educated and enlightened.
“Everybody in this community knows me. As a mother, I will not tolerate such should it happen. Once such is reported to us, we will take the matter up and report it to the head of this community. If he refuses to act, I will personally mobilise the women and we will go to the educational secretary, who if he also doesn’t take action, we will proceed to Gusau, the state capital and make a case, until something has been done. With such a force from the mothers’ association, the authorities will have no choice but to name and shame such person(s) and excommunicate them from our daughters.
“We as mothers are in love with this programme and we pledge our lives to it. Most of us are financially handicapped as several of our bread winners are not in the civil service. Most of them are into menial jobs and farming and the little they get is channeled towards feeding and other responsibilities. The last thing on their minds is the issue of sending the boys to school, not to talk of the girls. But with this G4G which has come to us freely, we say thank you to UNICEF and UKAID and may the organisations continue to soar.”
The Programme Officer of G4G in Katsina State, Ms. Aisha Abdullahi, during a media dialogue in Zamfara state, had revealed that the young girls who were usually timid and docile in the face of such discussions, have embraced the initiative and have begun to have a voice of their own and also embraced the speaking out regarding sexual violation.
She recalled a case of sexual abuse which had to do with a well respected man in the society fondling the breasts of a girl, noting that said the girl was able to report the matter which was further taken up by the school authorities and investigated upon, after which further measures were put in place.
“We have had cases of sexual abuse in two of our communities in which one of the girls was able to confide in her friends. They all, including the victim, reported the matter to their mentor who in turn reported to the school authorities. The abuser was invited and when he came, he accepted that he was guilty.
“Before the introduction of the G4G, such case were hardly reported by the girls and when done, actions were usually not taken due to the adverse effects of stigmatisation and the attendant consequences.
“The issue of rape and other kinds of sexual molestation have been reduced to a very large extent and most of the girls have stopped hawking as we have realised that hawking is one of the things that exposes them to vulnerability and rape. We have also decided to work hand in hand with their mothers as well as women organisations and groups,” she added.
Other key groundbreaking milestones achieved through the G4G, includes greaters interest in enhanced learning, sensitisation and enlightenment of mothers, greater awareness in girls education in various communities as well as strong state involvement through dynamic leadership of the state education board, among others.