By Junaidu Danladi
Every October 11 is celebrated as International Day of the Girl Child, to recognize the importance position of girls and the challenges they are facing globally. In 2011, the United Nations General Assembly declared October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child. This followed the adoption of the World Conference on Women held at Beijing in 1995. The Day focuses on the attention on the need to address the challenges girls’ face, to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights.
The theme of 2024 International Day of the Girl theme is “Girls’ Vision for the Future” focuses on the need for action on the numerous challenges face by the girls and set a vision for the future development.
In Nigeria like in other parts of the world, girls are facing various challenges such as lack of access to quality education and healthcare, poverty, hunger, insecurity, climate change, family crises and child abuse. These challenges have compel many girls to engage in menial economic activities such as child labour, water delivery, hawking and begging. Very often, these expose them to danger that affect them negatively and deny them their divine rights.
Indeed, girls are very important in every society and they have the capacity to play critical roles in societal development. However, to utilize their full potentials, they deserved special cares in line with the best practices. To achieve that, there is urgent need to empower them in accordance with good local practices that are embedded in religious and decent cultural values.
Happy International Day of the Girl Child 2024
Junaidu Danladi
can be reached via junaiduromi@gmail.com
