Girl-child education: UNICEF, Bauchi govt to establish G4G groups in 100 schools

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has collaborated with the Bauchi State government to establish groups in 100 schools as part of the Girls-for-Girls (G4G) initiative. This was disclosed via a statement signed by UNICEF Bauchi Field Office Communication Officer (Media External Relations), Samuel Kalu. The statement quoted the head of UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, […]

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has collaborated with the Bauchi State government to establish groups in 100 schools as part of the Girls-for-Girls (G4G) initiative.

This was disclosed via a statement signed by UNICEF Bauchi Field Office Communication Officer (Media External Relations), Samuel Kalu.

The statement quoted the head of UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Abdulai Kai Kai on the commemoration of the Day of the African Child saying: “as Africa celebrates the Day of the African Child, UNICEF, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education and State Universal Basic Education Boards in Bauchi, Niger, Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara states will launch the Girls for Girls’ (G4G) initiative.

According to him, the G4G initiative will empower girls with information and knowledge to help build their capacity to stand up for themselves.

"It aims at creating equal opportunities for girls to access education. The primary goal of G4G is to empower girls with knowledge, skills and confidence needed to enrol and remain in school, completing the full course of education so they can be role models to other girls in their communities.

"Working with members of the Mothers Association as mentors, girls will initiate and lead a range of activities to identify barriers to the education of girls in their communities and work to remove such barriers so girls will enrol and remain in school," he said.

He further informed that G4G groups will be established in 100 conventional and Qur’anic schools in Bauchi State through the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) with UNICEF’s support.

According to him, UNICEF is also working closely with the Bauchi State Government under the GEP3 to ensure that 1 million additional girls are enrolled in school in northern Nigeria.

The G4G initiative is a component of the Girls’ Education Project (GEP) Phase 3 being implemented in northern Nigeria through collaboration between UNICEF Nigeria and the Federal Government of Nigeria with funding from the United Kingdom (UK) Department of International Development (DFID).

Kai Kai therefore called on Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Plateau and Taraba states which are supported by the UNICEF Nigeria Field Office in Bauchi, to ensure that children especially girls are sent to school in their respective states.

He also urged the states to make policies and enact laws that will help protect the rights of children by domesticating the Nigeria Child Rights Law 2003 which he said 24 out of Nigeria’s 36 States have so far done.

"However, of the 12 States that have yet to domesticate this law, one third of them – Adamawa, Bauchi, Jigawa and Gombe, are from the UNICEF Nigeria Bauchi Field Office zone.I therefore call on the governments of Adamawa, Bauchi, Jigawa and Gombe to domesticate the Nigeria Child Rights Law," he added.

The theme for this year’s DAC as given by the AU is: "The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development for Children in Africa: Accelerating Protection, Empowerment and Equal Opportunity."