NAWOJ: Redeeming Right And Future Of The Girl-Child

On December 19, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170 to declare October 11 as the International Day of the Girl-Child. Ever since, International Day of the Girl has become an annual festival. Like past years, Tuesday, the 11th day of October, 2022, was celebrated all over the globe as the International Day of the Girl-Child. As the ritual prescribes, there were observances of events that actually empowered some  girls as well as  amplified  their voices. Basically, the day served to highlight efforts aimed at eliminating gender-based challenges that little girls face around the world.  Challenges such as; child marriage, poor learning opportunities, violence, and discrimination. Others are; insecurity, wars and natural disasters, disabilities. Above all, the “just because they are girls” syndrome, which had remained an unhighlighted challenge; a   cultural discrimination, the girl-child has had to contend with as she grows into adulthood, was also brought to the fore. But beyond the global highlights on such a day, what becomes of the fate of this folk after the usual euphoria of this single day global celebration, has remained a puzzle begging for answer.
No doubt,  there  seems to be an  increased attention and focus on issues that affect the girl-child  in recent times,  yet, it is  sad to state that they do not in reality translate to investments in the wellbeing and actualisation of the rights of the girl-child. However, this year’s theme ; “The Time is now-our rights our future”, seemed to express more proactiveness to providing solution to the much touted  challenges of the girl-child. Not only did the theme uphold the  sacrosanctity of the right and future of the girl-child, like a bang, it was more  realistic than idealistic  as it places the need on both individuals and corporate establishments to reinstate commitments to the welfare and all-round development of the girl-child. One governor in the South-South region of the country, captured the essence of the theme when he said “as a government, “we understand the role of the girl-child in the advancement of society and have continued to prioritise investment in different sectors of our state’s economy, including education, health tech and the creative sector, among others to ensure that they are provided with the right environment, skills and opportunities to achieve their dreams and live life to the fullest”.
This is important because the girl age is a critical period that can determine the trajectory of women’s lives. It is a stage at which key investments and support can set them on a path toward empowerment, or when discrimination, recurrent constraints, harmful practices, and violence can send them down a negative spiral. This of course comes with lifelong consequences, not just for themselves, but for societies and future generations. Needless to say that to be born a girl-child in a world that is progressively biased towards the rights and future of the girl-child, comes with its own disadvantages and difficulties. This holds true particularly as it relates to the opportunities available to the girl-child, who appears to have the deck stacked against her and fewer chances to excel. One glaring constraint is the lack of access to affordable, inclusive, and qualitative education which is a basic right. For mere fact that a girl-child would grow  up and be  married out of her biological family, makes it difficult for most parents to invest in them. Instead, they consider them as viable products that could be disposed and the proceed used to facilitate the wellbeing of the male-children who are percieved as the bonafide members of the family.
These unprecedented challenges to their education, their physical and mental wellness, have made the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Rivers State Chapter, to call for an intentional investment in the education of girls. The association in a statement issued to commemorate this year’s International Day of the Girl-Child noted that education of girls will eliminate all such forms of tragic predicaments faced by girls in our society, especially girls with disabilities who face additional barriers accessing support, opportunities and services. NAWOJ also noted that given the skills and the opportunities, adolescent girls could be the changemakers driving progress in the society while building stronger support for all, including women, boys and men.  The association also maintained that girls are now keen for leadership positions and so the time has come for all to harness their leadership potentials. For this reason, it  called on government at all levels to create and nurture spaces for inclusion of adolescent girls in decision-making, while making deliberate efforts to increase resources for an investment in adolescent girls.
It also urged government and traditional institutions to encourage and assist all the organisations that prioritise well-being and quality education for the girls.  NAWOJ Rivers State strongly believes that increased attention on issues that matter to girls amongst governments, policymakers and the general public, would open up more opportunities for girls to have their voices heard. This was observed as the body, led by its chairperson, Susan Serekara-Nwikhana, recently engaged parties, gubernatorial candidates in the State on  interactions concerning their stake for the girl-child in the State in their bid to steer the ship of the State come 2023, Understanding  the role of the girl-child in the growth and development of the society and  committed  to ensuring that  girls  are provided with the right environment, skills and knowledge to realise their fullest potential and contribute effectively in the advancement of their communities, this same body of women journalists,  was at Community Secondary School, Kpean,  in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State,  where they distributed   Welcome- Back-to-School Kits, lingerie, writing materials, among others  The women journalists in Rivers State toed this line based on a realisation that when a woman is trained,  a nation is invariably trained as rapid socio-economic development of a society has been observed to depend on the calibre of women and their education.
Education being the cornerstone of all development and the starting point for success, bestows the disposition for the acquisition of knowledge, competence and skills. It increases one’s involvement and participation in the political space while contributing effectively to societal growth and governance.
One thing that should spur individuals and corporate organisations to champion the realisation of the right and future of the girl-child is the fact that despite the myriad challenges which have lifelong consequences for the girl-child and the society at large, the resourcefulness and resilience of the girl-child is unmatched, proving time and time again that given the right conditions, opportunities, impetus, the girl-child is a change-driver, changing the narrative towards a better world. Thus, in consonance with the theme of the year’s international day of the girl-child, this is the time to galvanise, spur and engage stakeholders all over the world; government officials, policymakers, other change drivers, towards providing a fertile, conducive and safe environment devoid of discrimination and filled with opportunities for the girl-child to thrive effectively and achieve her fullest potential. There is a need to establish and strengthen institutions solely charged with the responsibility  of enforcing the Child Rights and advancing the cause of the girl-child. To this end,  the International Federation of Female Lawyers, FIDA Nigeria,  calls for the adoption of non-policy measures, that is, change in attitude and perception about gender roles, public enlightenment and sensitisation on implication and ills of gender stereotyping and discriminatory practices. Let us join hands to ensure that the girl-child thrives as she set to fulfil her potential and take on the world given the right boost, enabling environment, and the platform to make that change. Indeed, our time is Now! Our rights, Our Future!

By: Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi