End Child Marriage: Fund Girls’ Futures
Coalition Urges Government to Prioritize Funding for Education and Women's Affairs to Combat Child Marriage and Unlock Economic Potential
The National Coalition to End Child Marriage in Nigeria has advised the government at all levels to allocate proper funding to relevant ministries for the eradication of child marriage in the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the coalition consists of different Civil Service Organisations (CSOs), to end child marriage and propagate the development of the girl-child in Nigeria.
NAN also reports that the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), describes child marriage as any formal or informal union between a child under 18 years and an adult, or another child.
Mr Kolawole Olatosimi, the coalition’s national coach, stated this on Tuesday in Ilorin during a three-day non-residential Capacity-Building Workshop on Effective Programming and Action to End Child Marriage.
Olatosimi explained that education, women’s affairs, and justice ministries needed to be properly funded, because child marriage was now a national emergency, as the rate had soared to 43.1 percent.
According to the national coach, about 43 percent of girls are married before the age of 18, while 17 percent are married before the age of 15.
“Child marriage is against the Child Rights Act, while it is rooted in social norms.s
“Child marriage leads to extreme poverty, limits access to education, and leads to health challenges and gender inequality.
“Cultural norms and patrilineal structures emphasize female submissiveness and are drivers of child marriage.
“The training is for members and stakeholders in capacity building on their responses to intervention on ending child marriage in Nigeria,” he said.
Also, Mr. Femi Oyedeji, Kwara Focal Person of the coalition, said “Girls should not be married off, but should be put in schools”.
According to him, they should be given emotional support and protected from abuse, child neglect, exploitation, and violence.
“Child marriage should be abolished because it has health implications including forced abortion, Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF), HIV/AID,s and ultimately, death due to complications.
“Kwara Government should legislate stronger laws, specifically on ending child marriage and ensuring that girls are in schools,” he said.
Oyedeji also commended the state government and called for the full implementation of the Child Rights Law and Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act in Kwara.
Earlier, Mrs Afolashade Opeyemi, Kwara Commissioner for Women Affairs, described child marriage as a scourge, which affected the girl-child and the nation, as a whole.
Opeyemi, represented by Hajia Ramat Akanni, Director of Personnel, Finance, and Supply of the ministry, explained that child marriage perpetuated poverty, illiteracy, and poor health outcomes.
According to her, this undermines the potential of our girls to contribute to the development of our society.
“The workshop is a critical step in our collective effort to end child marriage in Nigeria.
“It will examine the situation analysis, develop a resource mobilization plan, strengthen the collaboration among stakeholders, and understand power dynamics in communities,” she said. (NAN)
