A nonprofit organisation known as Girls’ Power Initiative (GPI) has advocated for investment in girls’ leadership to promote equality and justice in society.
The Human Resource Officer of the Agency, Mrs. Margaret Udo made the call in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, southern Nigeria on the 2023 edition of the International Day of the Girl.
Udo, who described the theme “Invest in Girls Rights, Our leadership, our wellbeing” as apt, stated that” society needed to invest in the education and overall development of the girl child.”
According to Udo, “the United Nations set aside October 11 every year as the International Day of the Girl Child, to recognise girls’ rights and raise awareness on the challenges that girls face all around the world.
“As an organisation, Girls’ Power Initiative (GPI) Calabar Centre, has been at the fore in ensuring that the rights of girls in Cross River State are protected and that is one reason we are joining the Globe to commemorate this day.”
She enumerated the challenges girls in Cross River and other parts of the world face including lack of access to education, health care services, gender-based violence, and discrimination.
Udo said; “these challenges hinder their (girls) ability to reach their full potentials as individuals and agents of change and leaders in their different communities.”
Udo said, “Investing in their rights is essential to ensuring that they can thrive and become leaders of tomorrow. Let us not forget that investing in girls’ leadership is crucial for building a more equal and just society; as well as investing in girls’ well-being including their mental and physical health.”
According to her, “the collective investment of stakeholders including government and private sector participants would result in creating a brighter, more prosperous and more equitable future for society in general.”
She added, “This importance of today should not be lost on us. It is not a one day event and then it is over. For us to have a brighter future like I said earlier, let us all come together and commit to investing in girls today and a better tomorrow is guaranteed.”
Mercy Chukwudiebere
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