Stakeholders have called for collective action to address the educational, cultural and societal challenges confronting the girl child.
They also stressed the need to protect the rights of young girls, promote gender equality, and create opportunities for teenage girls to reach their full potential.
The call was made by members of Edgerley Memorial Girls Secondary School Old Girls Association, Unity Chapter, Abuja, during activities to mark the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child.
Speaking during the event, the president of the association, Atim Ejike, said the challenges facing the girl child often begin at home and are reinforced by cultural beliefs and societal practices that limit her opportunities.
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“As parents, we have the primary responsibility of building our girl child, making our girl child have confidence in themselves. I am urging parents to raise girls to compete favourably with boys and recognise the importance of their contributions to society.”
She identified cultural beliefs that confine girls to domestic roles and discourage their education as major barriers to their development, noting “more efforts are needed to ensure equal opportunities for both genders.”
On gender-based violence, she urged parents to teach their sons to respect their sisters, old or younger, and discourage bullying as well as other forms of abuse at home.
“Protecting the rights of the girl child, as far as I am concerned, starts from the home. Let us go back to the basics. As parents, let us protect the rights of our daughters at home,” she said.
Similarly, the National Secretary General of the Association, Mrs. Sarah Ohale, identified unequal access to education as a major challenge facing girls, particularly in communities where traditional and cultural practices favour boys over girls.
Mrs. Ohale called on traditional rulers, governments at all levels and other stakeholders including parents, schools and civil society organisations to speak with one voice in advocating for the rights of girls, especially in rural communities.
According to her, access to education, healthcare and other essential services was critical to societal development, noting “if you educate a girl child, you educate a nation.”
Also, the Minister in Charge of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Kubwa Parish, Dr John Okey, decried the perception that the world belongs to men, saying such an ideology places girls at a disadvantage and reinforces gender inequality.
Okey expressed concern over cases of rape, molestation and other forms of abuse against girls, calling on the government to strengthen measures to curb such vices.
