Sensitizing girls on rights to education and equality

The two days workshop for girls on rights to education and equality, organized by FAME Foundation, took place in LEA Jabi Primary school Hall, Abuja on 15 and 16 September 2022.

Executive Director, FAME Foundation, Ms Aderonke Ogunleye- Bello, said that the campaign would educate girls across schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to emphasize on their rights. She called on the government to review the Child Rights Act to accommodate more points that would help the girl child become more appreciated.

“This is an initiative of FAME Foundation called, ‘PLAY it DREAM it.’ We want to teach girls the importance of education and also combat girl child marriage, domestic violence amongst others. It is also for them to know how to set the right goals for themselves,” she said.

“I hope that the government can update and review the Child Rights Act of 2003 and make it to accommodate more points that will help the girl child,” Bello added.

Ms. Elise Blaizot, Project Officer at AFD Nigeria, highlighted how the two organizations had been discussing the possibilities of the project and crucial actions to reach other regions, emphasizing that the essence of the discussion was to achieve the objective of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by making education a fundamental right for everyone.

“Together, we do believe that education is indispensable for the exercise of other human rights. We do believe that the gender gap will not be narrowed in the world if the challenges around girls’ education do not find any answer. Together, we do believe that all forces should be joined if we want to find solutions,” Blaizot said.

Camille Oren, Project Officer of the French Embassy in Nigeria, said gender stereotyping gave wrong ideas about men and women. According to Oren, girls are always told to be nice, look good and play safe, instead of building cars, engaging in politics and being CEOs.

“As girls, we should do whatever we want to do and be confident about who we are and what we are doing,” Oren said.

In the same vein, Tonto Dikeh, a politician, humanitarian and mentor, advised the children to plan their lives for success in life. “I urge you kids not to take what you have learnt here lightly because it will build you to the woman you will become in future. There is no dream and no goal that is too small, dream big and you will achieve great things,” she said.

Dikeh also urged the individuals to desist from the opinion that government’s insensitivity and poverty lead to lack of education.

Founder of Center for Sports, Peace and Society at the University of Tennessee, Dr Sarah Hillyer, urged the girls to get involved in sports and take their education seriously. “The combination of sports and education will make Nigeria a better place and the world a better place,” she noted.