Hope for Africa Development International Foundation (HADIF) has decried child marriage and other ill-treatments against the girl child in the society.
The President, HADIF, Mr. Chukwudi Uzochukwu who stated this in Umuahia, Abia state, during the commemoration of 10th anniversary of the International Day of the Girl (IDG) 2022, called for more supports for the girl child to enable them compete favourably with their male counterparts.
Represented by the Regional Coordinator, Ms Irene Okechukwu, the President of HADIF, revealed that the event aimed to empower girls, help amplify their voices, acknowledges the significance, power, and potential of adolescent girls.
He advocated for more investments in the girl child, adding that IDG 2022 with the theme: “Our time is now—our rights, our future” was aimed towards eliminating gender-based challenges like child marriages, poor learning opportunities, violence, and discrimination faced by young girls among others.
“There is a need to take initiative to nurture girls that directly impact to the society.
Which this day provides a platform for underprivileged girls to raise their voices and demand equality of rights, education, and health”, he stated.
He maintained that an educated and skilled woman contributes more to society than an uneducated, unskilled, socially abused woman.
In his words: “Healthy existence of adolescent girls extends beyond their formative stage.
Girls have the capacity to transform the world if given the right assistance.
Adolescence is an important phase of women thus determining the trajectory of girls’ lives. The international day of the girl child helps us to remember that it is important to empower girls at this vulnerable age”.
Regional Coordinator, HADIF, Ms Irene Okechukwu
He highlighted other significance of the 2022 IDG to include; to address issues girls confront, to support girl empowerment, to ensure that their human rights are upheld and safe as well as ensuring that they are educated on Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) among others.
In her lecture, the Abia State Coordinator, Miss Grace Dorcas Onyekachi, charged girls to maintain good menstrual hygiene, adding that poor menstrual hygiene could lead to infection and infertility.
Miss Grace Onyekachi
She advocated for the provision of good facilities for girls to take care of themselves in schools during menstruation.
International Day of the Girl Child is celebrated on 11th October every year and this day is recognized as an annual and Internationally recognized observance.
The day recognizes the power, potential of adolescents girls.
Highlight of the event was the distribution of free sanitary pads to hundreds of school girls and female teachers while schools in attendance were, Standard International Schools, Margaret Secondary school, Winning Youth Secondary school, Holy Rosary secondary school, Living Word Magnet secondary school among others.
