The 11th of October 2023, witnessed the celebration of the girl Child as the world all over ear marked that day for the celebration and discuss on the ways of giving adequate protection to her.
According to those interviewed by our Reporters in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, the called for sincere measures to tackle numerous challenges the girl Child faces daily if it is not physical abuse, it is rape, and many others leading to traumatic and self defeat conditions.
They called for practicability of the girl Child protection than the yearly oral declarations. They opined that the girl Child protection must start from the family through the school, church, and society at large. They urged the girl Child to always speak up when abused or raped.
The coordinator of the African Women Lawyer Association in Rivers State, Hilda Desmond called on security agencies to prioritize the rights and protection of the girl child against trafficking, sexual harassment, and others. Dr. Desmond said this in an interview with our reporters. She urges all regulatory agencies to take issues concerning girls’ welfare and abuse very seriously.
The coordinator of the African Women Lawyer Association in Rivers State Hilda Desmond reveals that the Civil Society Organization mobilize partnership among stakeholders including United Nation (UN) Agencies, children representatives, traditional rulers, the media, and academia to work towards ensuring the eradication of harmful traditional practices against the girls, especially child labor, child marriage, and human trafficking.
Dr. Desmond also called on the government and other stakeholders to intentionally invest in the girl child. She said if only girls have the rights and know their rights, that is when they will have their rightful place in the boardroom and politics in our leadership positions. Adding that if women are not in leadership, women can not thrive, and there is no way they can be represented.
Also, the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) in the Rivers State chapter is calling for an increase in the investment for adolescent girls. A statement made by the chairperson of Rivers State NAWOJ Susan Serekara Nwikhara said there is an urgent need for increased attention in resourcing for the key areas to enable girls to realize their rights and achieve their full potential. she said that a girl has the right to become whatever she wants to become if she is allowed to do so. She however advised the girl child to be very confident in whatever she wants to become and also urged parents to communicate more with their children, especially the girl child. She further explained that parents should give their children a free hand to speak and express themselves, thereby giving them a soft landing, and parents, especially, mothers, should check their children’s phones, monitor what they do, the clothes they put on when they want to go out and the kind of movies they watch.
