By Rita Iliya
Minna – The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with the High-Level Women Advocates (HiLWA) on Friday, said that the girl child education was beyond getting girls into schools .
Hajiya Hassana Adamu, Chairperson of HiLWA in Niger, who noted this during a press conference to commemorate the 2020 International Women’s Day, said that the girl child must be safe to complete her education to have a bright future.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme for the women’s day celebration is “I am Generation Equality: Realising Women’s Right” held in Minna.
NAN report that HILWA is UNICEF’s Nigeria intervention project, currently in 14 states and funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) to advocate for women education and empowerment in their respective states.
NAN also report that among HiLWA members in Niger state were former Commissioner of Women Affairs, Hassana Adamu, former Permanent Secretary, Mrs Racheal Yisa and Former Permanent Secretary, Mrs Deborah Sallau.
Adamu explained that HiLWA had advocated for enrollment of the girl child in school, strengthening of law prohibiting early marriage of the girl child, increased budgetary allocation for education and mentoring of women aspiring for leadership positions.
She added that the press conference was in line with the celebration of the International Women’s Day and outline the activities of HiLWA and UNICEF intervention.
“We have paid advocacy visit to eight Emirs in the state to seek their support to help sensitise their subjects on the need for enrollment of the girl child, and this has brought about improvement.
“HiLWA members are selected women that have attained leadership positions to serve as role model to children especially the girl child, we tell them about our challenges we faced while growing in our career,” she said.
Also, Hajiya Maryam Usman, UNICEF Consultant in Niger, said that UNICEF was partnering with the state government to build the capacity of children and women to become self-reliant as well as right to education.
Similarly, Hajiya Maryam Aminu, Director Social Mobilisation of the Niger State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB), disclosed that UNICEF and HiLWA intervention and sensitisation had led to over 158,000 enrollment of pupils in primary schools in nine local governments areas.
(NAN)