The international day of the girl child is celebrated globally every 11th day of October and focuses on the unique challenges girls face and upholds girl child empowerment in an effort to aid girls achieve their goals and dreams.
This year’s theme is Our Time is Now- Our Rights, Our Future but the reality especially in Northern Nigeria does not reflect this year’s theme as girls in the northern part of Nigeria are not exempted from the myriad of challenges which includes gender inequality, early child marriage and pregnancy gender sexual based violence amongst others.
Recent statistics from the United Nations Children Fund shows that out of the 18.5 million out-of-school children in the country, more than 10 million are girls. This alongside other challenges impedes girls from achieving their goals in future.
Advocates of girl child rights believe that irrespective of interventions, the boundaries limiting the girls from living up to their potentials in the northern part of the country will continue unless a collective approach to championing the cause of a better world for female children is effectively implemented.
