In most developing countries including Nigeria, women’s literacy rates
are significantly lower than men’s. In Northern Nigeria in particular, the
gender gap remains particularly wide.
This assertion was made by the president of Women Arise for Change
Initiative, Dr. Josephine Okei-Odumakin at the 2nd Annual International Day of
the Girl Child commemorated by Hacey’s Health Initiative at the Auditorium,
University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State.
While discussing the theme of the programme; “Education as a Catalyst in Promoting
the Health, Education, Empowerment, and Rights of the Girl Child”, Dr. Odumakin
said that when you educate a girl you educate the nation, because a nation is
produced through a girl.
Dr. Odumakin spoke further that the right to education is universal,
therefore every girl child should not be deprived of it. Also, a girl child
should not be seen as being inferior to a boy child.
In her keynote address, the Commissioner for Education in Lagos State,
Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye duly represented by Mrs A.K. Musa, said that education
is a tool for empowering a girl child. Adding that the education given to a
girl child can help to build the child which can also help to determine the
development of the nation.
Speaking from the medical angle, Dr. Dizzie said that when a girl child
is educated for 6years or more, as an adult her parental care, post natal care
and child birth survival rates will dramatically and consistently improve
considerably.
Dr. Dizzie ended on the note that, education is not a mortgage, neither
is it a luxury or business, it is the right of a girl child.
In her contribution, Miss Yemisi Ransone Kuti encouraged every girl child
to be focused and ignore all the physical, mental, psychological, or religion
barriers that may want to hinder them from achieving their goals but instead
they should take the responsibility of who and what they want to become.
As their own contribution to advocate for the right of every girl child,
presentations regarding the rights of girl child were done by various schools
and individuals across Lagos State.
It is therefore hoped that every stakeholder in the society, particularly
the government must consider our collective prosperity as a nation by
encouraging a mandatory education of the girl child which is a key ingredient
to the Socio Economic prosperity of any given society.
No comments:
Post a Comment