Frontline Imo born statesman, astute administrator, and philanthropist, Dr. Ejike Chukwu has called for investment in the girl child education and health, as a right step towards sustainable development.

He stated this during the occasion marking the International Day of the Girl Child for 2024.
The theme of this year’s celebration ‘Girls’ Vision for the Future’ focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights, not limiting their future to the kitchen and bedroom.

Chukwu, who is the President of Ejike Chukwu Foundation, acknowledged that across the globe girls are still showing remarkable optimism and leadership in their various fields of endeavour such as music, infotech, banking, journalism, medicine, and the legal practice.

According to him, girls are at the forefront of movements combating climate change, advocating for justice, innovating in technology, and challenging limiting stereotypes. “They are showing us they are ready to lead, and they ask us to stand with them. We must all stand with all girls everywhere.”

An exemplary father figure, and good husband, Chukwu however, regretted that despite their achievements, the girl child still faces immense challenges at workplace, barriers with many being subjected to early marriage and teenage pregnancies. According to him, this social menace cuts their education short and kills their dreams while millions of girls face stigma and barriers affecting their health and school attendance.

Chukwu said: “Adolescent girls have the right to a safe, educated, and healthy life, not only during these critical formative years, but also as they mature into women. If effectively supported during the adolescent years, girls have the potential to change the world – both as the empowered girls of today and as tomorrow’s workers, mothers, entrepreneurs, mentors, household heads, and political leaders.”

The philanthropist, whose foundation just completed a state wide education outreach across a select secondary schools in Imo and distributed over 3000 quality school bags with educational materials said, ” We must listen to girls, amplify their voices and create spaces for meaningful participation because there is no future without them and their vision for the future.

“Let us pledge to turn their visions into reality. Investing in girls means investing in hope, in healthier societies and in a future that benefits us all. When girls thrive, communities prosper.”

He regretted that girls’ basic needs are too often neglected, adding that worldwide, only two out of five schools provided menstrual health education and less than one in three had adequate facilities.

Sharing a similar concern with him, Project Manager of the Ejike Chukwu Foundation, Dr. Vivian Dimgba, said globally, almost twice as many adolescent girls as boys are not in any form of education, employment or training.

These numbers, she said, represented millions of stories of unrealised potential and unfulfilled dreams.
The fierce advocate of good governance, quality education, and rights of the girl child, Dimgba, stressed that the girl child should claim their rightful place in every arena and occupy it unapologetically.

“Your leadership is transforming the world, and your vision is one we all need. Let’s keep pushing boundaries, keep amplifying the voices of sisters everywhere, especially those in Imo- Nigeria, and across conflict zones from Sudan to Ukraine to Gaza to Lebanon,” she said.