ABUJA, Nigeria — Stakeholders have called for stronger action against child marriage, sexual abuse and gender discrimination, warning that poverty, harmful social practices and weak enforcement of protective policies continue to expose girls to abuse and rob them of their childhood and educational opportunities.
The call was made at an event organised by Olumawu School, Abuja, on Friday, ahead of the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child, observed annually on October 11.
The event, with the theme, “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Right”, brought together educators, advocates and students who called for greater protection of girls, equal educational opportunities and stronger measures to hold perpetrators of abuse accountable, reports Sunday Guardian.
The guest speaker, Ambassador Chinwe Joyce Akubueze, urged parents to stop treating their daughters as commodities for financial gain, insisting that girls deserved the same opportunities as boys.
Speaking on “Knowing Her Rights: Protecting the Girl Child from Child Marriage and Other Forms of Vulnerability”, Akubueze said financial hardship should never be an excuse for sacrificing a girl’s education, safety and future.
“Your girl child is not for trade,” she declared.
She condemned the practice of marrying off daughters to raise money for their brothers’ education, questioning the fate of girls whose aspirations were sacrificed to support their male siblings.
“So, if she gets married, her brothers will go to school. What happens to the child?” she asked.
Rape, teenage pregnancy derail girl’s education
Illustrating the devastating consequences of sexual abuse and silence, Akubueze recounted the experience of a woman she identified as Onu, who was repeatedly raped by her uncle and his associates from the age of 14.
According to the speaker, the teenager was threatened with death if she disclosed the abuse, leaving her to endure the ordeal without the protection and support she needed.
Onu became pregnant at 15 while in Junior Secondary School Three. A teacher who noticed changes in her appearance alerted her family, and a hospital examination confirmed that she was five months pregnant.
Akubueze said the pregnancy was terminated because of the girl’s age, but the experience left her traumatised and disrupted her education.
Previously one of the brightest students in her school, Onu had to repeat her class. Her self-esteem suffered, and she later became exposed to destructive social influences before getting married at 18.
However, Akubueze said the woman eventually transformed her painful experience into a message of hope for other girls.
“Your life belongs to you. Being a girl child does not make your dreams smaller. Being a girl child doesn’t make your dreams invalid,” she said.
Akubueze urged girls experiencing abuse, coercion or threats to speak out and seek help from trusted adults, even when their parents or guardians were unable or unwilling to protect them.
“When they say do not talk, that’s the time to talk. When they say keep quiet, that’s the time to make noise,” she told the students.
She also warned that providing children with food, clothing and school fees did not give parents or guardians the right to deprive them of their childhood or expose them to abuse.
She encouraged victims to continue seeking help until someone listened to their concerns.
‘Child marriage is a violation’
The keynote speaker, Emree Bello Jonah, described child marriage as a violation of girls’ rights, warning that it could undermine their education, health and future prospects.
“Child marriage is not cultural. It is a violation,” Jonah said.
She urged girls to take their education seriously, acquire practical skills and develop the confidence to pursue leadership opportunities.
Jonah also highlighted menstrual health, insisting that no girl should miss school because she could not afford sanitary pads.
School seeks stronger enforcement of protective policies
The principal of Olumawu School, Rotimi Jiboku, called for stronger implementation of government policies designed to protect girls and promote their development.
“It’s one thing to have policies, another thing to implement,” he said, urging government agencies to ensure that girls received the protection and support needed to thrive.
Jiboku said the school had established several channels through which students could report abuse and raise concerns, including anonymous reporting boxes and designated safeguarding officers.
Students at the event also called for greater gender equality and more opportunities for girls to participate in leadership.
Aliyah Abdulrahman said Onu’s experience had taught her that a difficult past should not determine a person’s future.
“No matter what has happened to you before in your past, it shouldn’t reflect on who you are now,” she said.
Another student, Israel Akinteye, called for greater support for women in politics and other leadership positions, citing unequal access to education among members of his extended family as an example of the disadvantages girls face.
He urged boys and men to challenge gender discrimination and encourage girls to pursue their ambitions, arguing that equal opportunities would help build a more balanced society.
The International Day of the Girl Child is observed annually on October 11. Established by the United Nations in 2012, it seeks to promote girls’ rights and draw attention to challenges including unequal access to education, discrimination, violence and child marriage.
The Olumawu School event highlighted the need for practical measures to protect girls, strengthen their confidence and ensure that their rights, education and aspirations receive greater attention.
