26th May, 2017
Panelists at the ‘SHE Forum Africa’ a pan-African Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), on Thursday stressed the need to educate the girl-child in our society.
They made the remark in Abuja, at the fourth edition of the SHE Forum Africa 2017 conference with the theme; ‘Evolve or Be Left Behind’.
Mrs Fati Balla-Abubakar, the former Ambassador, Republic of Botswana said the need to educate the girl-child in any developing country could never be over emphasised.
She said the lack of education increases poverty and ignorance, while educated minds could create opportunities, possibilities, character and assist immensely in the process of decision-making.
Balla-Abubakar stated that the confidence that comes from having a sound education could help allow one to aim higher and evolve at every level.
According to her, women always have something they can do to improve the lots of the female population, thereby bringing them up to higher levels.
“We can help mentor young females or set up small scholarship schemes to help them excel.
“We can also go to secondary schools in our localities and teach them how to build their self-confidence and self-esteem.
“Ultimately, we should aim at developing a community of well-educated and confident women that can take their place in the society and excel in any field they so desire,’’ she added.
Dr Eleanor Nwadinobi, Gender and human Rights Consultant, said “young girls of today are not the future of Nigeria but they are the Now of Nigeria’’, adding that the first place of learning was the home.
She stressed on the need for everyone to stop using culture, religion, law or policies to explain the unequal treatment of women and men, boys and girls.
Nwadinobi recalled that on May 25, 2015, the Violence against Person’s Prohibition Bill was signed into law.
“This act gives us the opportunity to report cases of child abuse, rape, not sending our girls to school, and sexual violence among others.’’
She encouraged women to change the narrative that women were their worst enemies, saying that women should not pull themselves down but rather lift themselves up.
Also speaking, the Founder “She Forum Africa’’, Ms Inimfon Etuk, said reports stated that about 51 million children were not in school.
She said in the face of present global economic downturn, famine and drought among other dilapidating issues constitute a threat to the education of the girl-child.
“Chibok girls and their quest for education is still very fresh in our minds, so access to education is still a major challenge as far as women and girls are concerned.’’
She listed five reasons to care about Sustainable Development Goal 5 which said “ If you support one woman to overcome poverty, she will bring four other people, secondly when more women work, the economy grows.
“Thirdly, each year of school can increase a girl’s income by 20 per cent, fourthly a child born to a mother who can read is 50 per cent more likely to survive.
“And lastly, if women farmers have the same access to tools, they will be up to 150 million less hungry people.’’