Education is crucial to ending child marriage - Plan International

 By JOE Hemba, Maiduguri 

 A non-governmental organisations (NGO) Plan International has said that communities leaders and governments at all levels must to do more to ensure out-of-school girls back into education which will be crucial to ending child marriage in Borno state. 

 To end child marriage, education must be accessible, good quality, safe and girl-friendly, while calling upon the community to recognise that progress on global education goals cannot be made without tackling child marriage. Gender Equality and Inclusive Coordinator, Plan International, Mrs Chinelo Amaechina stated this during this year commemoration 

"International Day of the Girl Child," theme: My Voice, Our Equal Future" organised at Gubio IDP camp in Maiduguri recently emphasised that there must be a broader effort to discourage this menace. 

 She noted that the reality is that when girls are married young, their education and other opportunities to live a safe, healthy and empowered life, come to an end. 

 Mrs Chinelo said education alone is not enough to end child marriage. Cooperation is needed across government ministries and with civil society to end the practice. 

 "In the community where we worked we understand that a lot of young girls are already married and with children, we give education to adequately take care of themselves and the young ones.

 "We know that in all over the world they have a different definition for a girl or child, here where we worked the UN define a child as somebody below the age of 18, we understand that this definition doesn't stand because you see that at the age of ten or eleven someones is already married. 

 "So they see them as an adult, so we do a lot of education and awareness to sensitized them that even though those girls are productive, but they are still a child and cannot take care of another child that is the essence of canvassing against early marriage and the rest of them," she said.

 She noted that if education is to be a successful tool to help girls avoid early marriage, they need to have access to quality education and schools that are safe and girl-friendly. 

 "Girls enrollment in school is very very low here, but with the intervention of Plan International and others development agency that is working in Borno State, now a lot of families are realizing the need of girls education and they are supporting it. 

 "We are breaking that barrier we are not there yet but we are making effort to ensure that by the year 2023 or thereabout we are going to have a considerable number of girls who are in school and who are clamouring to continue their education from primary to the tertiary institution and later to become somebody in their communities," Chinelo explained. 

 In her remarks, The State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development was represented by Hajiya Aishatu Shani told the gathering that the current administration is working hard to ensure that more school-age girls enrolled in schools. She stressed that education initiatives that help girls to avoid child marriage must include awareness-raising campaigns for parents and community leaders on the benefits of girls’ education, scholarship programmes for girls, equipping schools and providing training for teachers on how to ensure a safe environment for all students. 

 "Changing cultural practices and attitudes that allow child marriage to continue takes years, and requires a deep and lasting commitment to work with families and communities to make change happen. 

 “By reaching out to communities and empowering the girls vulnerable to child marriage, we can begin to counter the idea that girls are somehow of lesser value. 

 “It will take time but we must address the root causes of child, early and forced marriage, including poverty and gender inequality."Aishatu disclosed.

 The event was full of activities of girls entertained the guests with the presentation of speeches, poems, playlist and traditional dances. Also, dignity kits were distributed to the adolescent displaced girls as part of the activities to made the day colorful.

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