Girl-child abuse in Nasarawa: Education Ministry set to implement policy document

As part of the effort to curb the increasing abuse of girl-child in the state, stakeholders, in collaboration with the state ministry of education, have inaugurated a committee to properly implement Girl-child education policy.

Inaugurating the committee, the project coordinator of RISE UP NIGERIA, Mr. Augustine Ayuba, said that the policy was designed by multi-sectorial, where stakeholders in collaboration with Rise Up Nigeria and NACWYCA, sponsored by First Step Action, initiated the policy to ensure that there is a policy document to guide the right of girl child education in the state.

Mr. Ayuba said that the mission of the policy as contained in the document is to provide an enabling environment for the promotion of gender equality in education and training and to eliminate gender disparity.

Mr. Ayuba noted that with the committee members drawn from all the sectors including the security agents, it is expected that there shall be more enrolment, retention, completion as well as transition of a girl child education in the state.

He further explained that there will be reduction in school drop out of a girl child as well as gender based violence.

The director however explained that the policy document if properly implemented with the committee in place, girl-child abuses will drastically reduce because the communities where the girl reside are expected to provide safety for the girl child as contained in the document.

Ayuba however stated that with the inauguration of the committee, the ministry of education would now take full charge to ensure the policy is spread and implemented.

Stakeholders in their separates remarks expressed great worries over the frustration faced in prosecuting perpetrators of rape against the girl child in the state.

One of the stakeholders who is from the security organization regretted that some of the perpetrators are walking free while on record they are supposed to be in prison custody.

Stakeholders from the ministry of justice complained that the major challenge they have with prosecuting rape cases is the refusal of parents of victims to appear in court to testify.

Other stakeholders blame politicians and community leaders who will prevail on parents of victims from appearing in court to testify thereby frustrating the effective prosecution of perpetrators of rape.