PRESS RELEASE IN COMMEMORATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL CHILD 2023 RELEASED BY UNIQUE CARE AND SUPPORT FOUNDATION (CASFOD) – OCTOBER 11, 2023
On this day of the International Day for the Girl-Child, we at CASFOD specially celebrate the lives and achievements of girls around the world.
We believe that every Girl-Child deserves a better world, a world that is free from sexual and gender-based violence, a world free from poverty, a world where every girl has access to basic healthcare needs, a world free from any form of discrimination, a world where every girl has a voice and a world where every girl is empowered to create opportunities for herself.
As an organisation, we are committed to empowering girls and women to realise their rights. We believe that when girls are empowered to realize their rights, they can reach their potentials and create better lives for themselves and their communities. When girls have access to quality education, they are more likely to live a healthy and productive life.
As we mark the 11th anniversary of the International Day for the Girl-Child with the theme ‘Invest in Girls rights: Our leadership, Our wellbeing we must ensure that girls and women are empowered and given the opportunity to be educated to take charge of their own lives.
As we celebrate girls on this special day, a lot of girls out there still face enormous challenges, many girls have had their education disrupted as a result of the Boko Haram crisis in the Northeast, banditry in parts of the Northwest and other forms of violence across the country and the world at large, some of them may have been forced out of their homes, they may be unable to exercise their fundamental rights, this is particularly damaging to the girls and our nation as a whole.
We appreciate girls around the world who are fighting back, confronting gender bias, fighting stereotypes and championing change.
The 21st century has ushered in a new era, this has also brought about new forms of discrimination and inequality, many girls around the globe are excluded from the online space, therefore, concerted efforts should be made to bridge this divide and ensure equitable access to digital technology.
All hands must be on deck to ensure that girls have access to digital skills to help bridge the gender gap in the tech industry. We must empower girls to be able to use technology to access information, express themselves and also actively engage in social and political discourse.
The challenge of education is deeply concerning. We appreciate all relevant partners working to support girls. Let us work towards a world where every girl- child is literate and holds the potential to create opportunities for herself.
Despite the remarkable successes achieved in enrolling children into schools and the outcomes from the implementation of the various Foundational Literacy and Numeracy programmes, observations reveal a major gap in the quality of learning outcome in many children in higher primary schools and junior secondary schools. According to the UNICEF, about 75 per cent of primary school age pupils in Nigeria are unable read and understand or solve simple arithmetic.
It is against this backdrop that CASFOD is launching a technology-driven spelling bee and mathematics quiz competition, featuring junior secondary schools from five local governments areas in Borno state.
This is the first season, and we are limited by location. We will be piloting this initiative in Maiduguri, Jere, Konduga, Kaga and Mafa LGAs of Borno State.
This initiative will enhance academic excellence in schools, draw government focus towards supporting the quality of education in the state and mobilize support for schools towards supporting initiatives that increase girls access to quality education.
Let me use this opportunity on this special day to call on all eligible schools to enrol on this epoch-making initiative that would set the stage for improved literacy level for our children, especially the girl child.
Thank you for your interest in CASFOD, we look forward to enjoying your unwavering support towards creating a better world for the girl-child.
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE GIRL-CHILD
For further information, please contact:
Jibrin Adam, Officer – Strategic Communications, CASFOD, Email: ajibrin@casfod.org, (+234) 706 493 4563 CASFOD press releases are available at casfod.org and Social Media Handles @casfod_nigeria
