As our voices rise up, girls like me will change the world

21, Save the Children Nigeria Youth Ambassador

I was 14 years old when 276 Nigerian schoolgirls around the same age as me were abducted by insurgents.

I was from northern Nigeria, in the same grade and studying for my final examinations, just like them. It could have easily been me in that situation.

Ever since then, I have been one of the voices pushing for the rights and safety of girls.

Now, I am worried about the threat that climate change poses to girls and women.

A lot of people in Nigeria don’t know what climate change and global warming mean.

They need to be educated on these issues and the impact of their actions.

Climate change is leading to food shortages and when there isn’t enough food for the family, boys are prioritised.

Girls are becoming malnourished, which affects concentration in school. If food shortages continue and families stop earning money through farming and selling food, they might not be able to afford to go to school. More than half of the girls in northern Nigeria are missing out on school and our country has the highest number of out-of-school children in the world.

Climate change is going to make these problems worse.

At COP26, our government needs to create environmental policies that people can understand and implement.

At the start of my activism I was scared because in northern Nigerian culture, female voices are not important. We are expected to accept whatever is decided.

But I thought, “Why do I have to be afraid to say or do what I legally have the right to?” Things are getting better because, as the world is evolving, people are changing. They are realising how important it is for girls to go to school. I strongly believe that educating girls and giving us the chance to reach our full potential will contribute to a positive change in the world.

We see women are the key to changing the world. We can’t let climate change stop us.

STRONG Maryam wants girls to benefit from education