UNICEF, stakeholders seek end to child marriage

Stakeholders at the occasion in Gombe State. Photo credit: Chima Azubuike

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and stakeholders in Gombe and Bauchi states have called for urgent and coordinated action to end child marriage, protect girls’ rights and guarantee equal access to education, including for girls living with disabilities.

They made the call during a one-day stakeholders’ engagement organised on Saturday by UNICEF Bauchi field office in partnership with the Bauchi Radio Corporation in Gombe, as part of activities marking the International Day of the Girl Child on October 11.

The engagement, themed “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights,” brought together traditional rulers, women’s groups, development partners, media practitioners and girls to examine the cultural, economic and social barriers limiting the development of the girl child.

Speaking at the event, UNICEF’s Child Protection Specialist at the Bauchi Field Office, Ladi Alabi, called for a comprehensive approach to addressing the challenges confronting girls, particularly those exposed to early marriage and other harmful practices.

Alabi warned that child marriage could have devastating consequences for girls’ health, “education and future opportunities, noting that early pregnancy and childbirth could expose them to complications, including vesicovaginal fistula (VVF),” she added.

She urged stakeholders to prioritise girls’ education and empowerment, stressing that investing in girls was critical to breaking the cycle of harmful cultural practices and enabling them to contribute to society.

Alabi also called for stronger community engagement to challenge beliefs and practices that deny girls the opportunity to make decisions about their lives and futures.

In an interview with journalists after the engagement, the Chief of UNICEF’s Bauchi Field Office, Dr Nuzhat Rafique, said ending child marriage required collective responsibility and sustained interventions across several sectors.

She explained that efforts to protect girls would achieve limited results without coordinated action in health, education, nutrition and social protection.

Rafique warned that the continued prevalence of child marriage would deprive girls of the opportunity to develop their abilities and realise their ambitions.

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“If child marriage will not end, girls will not get the right opportunity to grow to their best potentials,” she said.

The UNICEF official identified education as one of the most important investments stakeholders could make in the lives of girls, urging governments and communities to remove barriers preventing children from accessing quality learning.

“Education is the greatest investment in girls,” Rafique said, calling for equal educational opportunities for every child, including girls with disabilities.

She stressed that girls should not be denied access to education because of their gender, disability or family circumstances, adding that inclusive learning opportunities were essential to ensuring that no child was left behind.

Participants at the engagement also advocated stronger awareness campaigns, mentorship initiatives and support systems to help girls remain in school and resist pressures that could force them into early marriage.

They called on government agencies, community leaders and development partners to address poverty and the difficult socioeconomic conditions facing vulnerable households, which can increase girls’ exposure to child marriage.

Some girls who spoke at the event urged stakeholders to confront gender stereotypes and provide practical assistance to those whose education had been interrupted or who had lost hope of returning to school.

They said girls needed encouragement, guidance and access to opportunities to pursue their aspirations rather than being restricted by societal expectations.

The stakeholders called for sustained collaboration among government institutions, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations and the media to promote positive social norms, protect girls from harmful practices and secure their right to education and a better future.