International Day of the Girl Child:
By Alice Onukwugha
A non-governmental organisation, Step-Up for Women in Journalism Initiative (SWIJ), has called on the Federal Government to demonstrate a clear national commitment to ending child marriage in Nigeria.
The body also called on the federal government and relevant stakeholders to prioritise investment in the girl child through effective laws, adequate funding and stronger accountability.
Team Lead of SWIJ, Ann Godwin, made the call in a statement to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Sunday, stressing the need for policies that protect girls’ rights keep them in school and ensure that no girl is left behind.
SWIJ promotes excellence among women and girls by equipping them with essential leadership and professional skills to accelerate career growth,
The body in the statement, emphasised that governments must move beyond promises to set measurable targets, publish progress reports and conduct regular reviews of interventions, in partnership with civil society organisations, communities and the media.
It noted that ending child marriage requires more than public awareness, “but decisive political leadership, effective legislation and sustained accountability.”
It urged governments to harmonise and enforce laws prohibiting child marriage, close legal loopholes that enable the practice, strengthen child protection systems and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable.
The organisation also called for urgent action to address poverty and gender inequality, which it said, leaves many girls vulnerable to early marriage, through improved access to education, social protection and economic support for disadvantaged families.
According to SWIJ, “investment in the girl child must be a policy priority backed by adequate funding and measurable outcomes.”
It urged governments to expand access to free, safe and inclusive education, provide scholarships for vulnerable girls, strengthen healthcare services and age-appropriate sexual and reproductive health education, and establish effective mechanisms for reporting and responding to child abuse.
The body maintained that every girl forced out of school by poverty, discrimination or early marriage represents a setback that public policy must address. “When we invest in a girl, we invest in a generation; when we deny her opportunities, we compromise the future of our society,” statement noted, reaffirming that every girl deserves quality education, protection and the freedom to fulfil her potential.
SWIJ further urged policymakers to support responsible, gender-sensitive journalism and make data on child marriage, school retention and child protection publicly available to promote evidence-based policies and strengthen accountability.
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