The Kaduna State Government has reiterated commitment to end child marriage by improving access to education, food security and economic growth.
The Acting Governor of the state, Hadiza Balarabe said this at the inauguration of a two-day experience-sharing workshop on child marriage in Kaduna yesterday.
She said child marriage has been identified as one of the key challenges affecting northern part of the country which portends negative consequences on education, sexual and reproductive health.
According to her, child and forced marriage are harmful and a violation of human rights, stressing the need to change the narrative towards ending the menace in the country.
“This will require that we terminate the root cause of the problem which has been proven that it will evolve, leverage and harmonise instrument of law; and will need the good intending of leaders, all socio-cultural institutions and stakeholders,” she said
Balarabe said the state government accorded premium to human capital development as panacea to the root cause of the social problem, adding that government had introduced 12-year free and compulsory education for all in the state.
She said,  “many girls in the northwest often got married before the age of 18 which called for concern.
“While some are between 15 years and taken out of school and become pregnant with complications due to long labour and undeveloped pelvic”.
The Kaduna state Commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, Hajiya Hafsat Baba described child marriage as a global issue and harmful practice to the society.
She advised parents and guardians not to push children under the age of 18 to early marriage, adding the practice caused devastating end to the life of a child.