Stakeholders task government on girl-child rights

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has been urged to give maximum protection to the girl-child.

The advice was given, yesterday, by District Chairman of The Inner Wheel District 912, Olushola Ashipa, during the 2022 International Day of Girl-Child organised by Inner Wheel District 912, for schools at Isolo Community Hall.

She said: “We are also using this opportunity to call on the government to be organising symposiums with a view to eradicating factors that cause girl-child to be looked down on and as well eradicate rape.

“The government should do it in such a way that girl-child would be saved from every form of harassment.”

Also, Chairman, International Day of Girl-Child 2022, IWM, Kike Babalola, said the programme would go a long way to improve the lives of the students.

SIMILARLY, seminary of St. Anne’s Students Old Girls Association (SSASOGA), Ibadan, in collaboration with International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria, yesterday, urged the federal and state governments to show more commitment to girl-child education and protection through necessary legislations and policies.

National President of SSASOGA, Mrs. Similolaoluwa Onabanjo; Chairman, Education Committee, Mrs. Adeola Bamgbose and Principal of the school, Dr. Olasumbo Savage, who spoke at the 2022 International Girl-Child Day with the theme, ‘Our Time is Now – Our Right, Our Future’ held at St. Anne’s School, Ibadan, Oyo State, said Nigeria would progress and develop better, stronger and faster if there are enough policies and determination in place to protect the girl-child and as well ensure their education and more opportunities are given to women to serve in public and political spaces.

They also stressed the need for governments, parents and other stakeholders to help in educating the girl-child to bridge the gap of inequality and digital gender gap that would make them stronger, and leaders.

Onabanjo, who was represented by Mrs. Bamgbose, said the girl-child’s voice over the centuries had been marginalized and deprived of quality education.

Chairman, Legal Practitioners Regulation Review Committee, Ibadan Chapter, Folasade Aladeniyi, said that Nigerians should encourage young girls to take up leadership roles in the society and be the best they could be either socially, politically, economically, Savage, however, urged parents and Nigerians to educate their female children to enable get involved in decision making.