NGO Educates Enugu Young School Girls, Seeks End To Violence Against Girl Child

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Saturday, October 14th, 2023

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – As Nigeria joins the global community to mark this year’s Day of the Girl Child, a non governmental organization NGO, Women Empowerment Education and Peace building Initiative (WEPBI), has educated young school girls and out of school ones on issue of knowing their fundamental rights and when violated.

Executive Director of the Organization, Mrs. Joy Ijeoma Oguadinma, who spoke during a one day state of the Nigerian Girls summit held in Enugu Organized by WEPBI, to commemorate the 2023 International Day of the girl child, also challenged the participants drawn from two Enugu girls schools to always speak out when ever their rights are violated, sexually abused or molested.

She said: “We are celebrating this year’s inter. Day of the girl child. We are having a camp summit with some of the girls in school and out of school children.

“We have brought them here to to interact and find out from them the challenges they are facing in their respective Communities of their various local government areas. Also, To find out from them if they know their rights on issues as sexual abuse and other Gender based violence GBV.

“So, in a nut shell, this programme is designed to educate the girl child to understand their rights and when they are violated or abused.

“It has also afforded them the opportunity of sharing ideas and experiences with the Stakeholders so as to see how we can help them and change the narrative”

According to the WEPBI boss, there is need for all and sundry to join forces in protecting rights of girls from sexual violence, domestic abuse and exploitation, noting that the theme, for this year’s celeberation: “Invest in Girls’ Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-being” is very apt, going by the alarming rate of neglect of the girl child in the contemporary society.

She maintained that if effectively supported and educated, with access to modern educational tools and resources, girls have the potential to change the world.

Mrs. Oguadinma, regretted however, that the high level of young girls who are out of school or unable to complete school due to socio-economic pressures is disturbing and must be tackled for the interest of the nation.

She explained that State camps are fundamental component of the state of the Nigerian Girls summit (SONGS) 2023, strategically designed to engage girls from divers regions across the nation, adding that the state level consultations play a pivotal role in addressing the multifaceted challenges faced by girls and young women in the country, providing essential localized perspectives on their unique experiences.

The objective of the state camp she further stated is to establish a secure and nurturing plattform at the state level, fostering open and safe dialogue for girls to express their thoughts, concerns and aspirations, stressing that it also enables the initiators collect comprehensive reports on the challenges and issues affecting girls, rooted in their unique perspectives and experiences.

Other objective she hinted includes, achieving a state- level safe dialogue space that empowers girls to openly share their thoughts, concerns, and aspirations, fostering a supportive enviroment for their active participation and self expression

The state camp equally help in generating a collection of comprehensive reports that provide deep insight into the challenges and issues affecting girls, offering a nuanced perspective grounded in their unique experiences and viewpoint.

In their seperate comments, during the focus group discussion in the event sponsored by Global Affairs Canada with support from Actionaid ,the participating school girls drawn from City Girls Secondary school and government day secondary school, had advocated stiff penalties for perpetrators of Gender Based Violence and other forms of abuses on the girl child.

Some of the Stakeholders drawn from the NGOs, CSOs, media, Women Organizations, and teaching profession who spoke at the event urged the girls to always speak out when abused or molested.