– Urges government to back its pronouncement on girls’ education with action.
As the World commemorates this year’s day of girls, on 11 October, a non-governmental organisation, Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF) has called on Kaduna State government to back its pronouncement on girls’ education with action.
Programme Officer – Girl Education, Jemimah Pam in a statement called on Kaduna State Government, to deliver on its pronouncement of providing free education for girls in public secondary schools.
The statement read, “we need to uphold the equal rights, voices and influence of girls in our families, communities and nations. Girls can be powerful agents of change, and nothing should keep them from participating fully in all areas of life’- Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary- General
“Determined to recognize the rights of women and girls as human rights, 25 years ago some 30,000 women and men from nearly 200 countries arrived in Beijing, China for the fourth world conference on women: the conference culminated the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action which is the most Comprehensive Policy Agenda and Empowerment of Women.
“Women pressed this agenda forward, leading global movements on issues ranging from sexual and reproductive health among others, resulting in more girls today attending and completing schools, while fewer are getting married or becoming mothers.
“Today, these movement and activities have expanded and are being organized by and for adolescent girls, tackling issues like Child Marriage, Education Inequality, Gender–based Violence and Climate Change, among others.
“The International Day of the Girl (11th October) is set aside to celebrate girls globally, to increase awareness on issues faced by girls. It is estimated that more than 62 million girls around the world have no access to education, while those between the ages of 5 and 14 spend more than 160 million hours on household chores than boys of the same age (USAID 2014).
“With the 2019 theme, Girl Force: Unscripted and Unstoppable, the world is celebrating achievement by, with, and for girls since its adoption and coming together of organizations in protecting and preserving the interest of women and girls, generally.
“In respect of this year’s theme, Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF), in line with its Girls Education Project, supported by Rise Up Nigeria, is calling on Kaduna State Government, to deliver on its pronouncement of providing free education for girls in public secondary schools.
“AMDF as an organization, seeks to fight against negative cultural attitudes and practices that do not promote and protect the right of girls.
“As an organization, we acknowledge the efforts at different quarters to ensure girls attain the quality of life needed to contribute to national development.
“We also identify with majority of girls who have been denied access to a quality life as a result of poverty, socio-cultural norms and gender inequality.
“We therefore call on government at all levels, decision makers and parents, to support the girl child to achieve her dreams, unscripted and unstoppable, as she represents the future of the nation and must be given top priority.” she concluded.
