Isaac Money -Yenagoa
Coalition of Non-governmental Organizations, NGOs, Advocacy groups, and other major stakeholders have called for more inclusion of the female gender and the girl child on issues concerning the development of the country.
Dr. Dise Ogbise Goody,
Team lead Do foundation and the project coordinator of the event, made the call when she spoke during the celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child 2024, with the theme “Girls’ Vision for the Future” also called for more support in the pursuit and advancement of their rights.
She noted that the discourse of the girl child is on the global table, which shows there is a better future ahead and called for stronger collaboration with government.
The reason for the celebration of the girl child, she maintained, includes the need to take a look at her challenges and see how to chart the way forward and to see how she can become the best in the society.
Her words: “The theme is apt as we are talking about the future of the girl child and it my prayer that in the next 10 years there will be no issue of intimidation, abuse and discrimination of the girl child.
We will also that the abused child needs to speak up, and also reach out to foundations like ours so we can help them by providing legal and psycho socio support.
Also as the key note speaker, Mrs Ann Amalate Obuebite PhD, a senior lecturer in the Niger Delta University, and a strong advocate of the girl child, admonished the girls to believe in their selves in their pursuit in life, adding that whatever they desire to achieve in life lies in their hands.
“The celebration is also a reminder that we are not where we want to be, in as much as we are not where we used to be. We need to keep amplifying our voices until we get to where we want to be.
You need to believe in yourselves, and have that confident that you can be whatever you want to be in life. If you can think it, you can be it, don’t let anyone stop you and don’t stop yourself. Parents shouldn’t also limit their children, they are not just beneficiaries of change but agents of change themselves.
Also Mrs. Enobong EtukAkpan a media proffesional, urged the girl child to keep her head up and be conscious of who they are in the society, adding that gone are the days when people think women can’t aspire to become what they want to be as we now have female pilots, Presidents and so on.
A young nurse, Miss Ebikombowei Okpako, appreciated the organizers for such celebration, noting that the rate of the molestation of the girl child has reduced drastically and more can still be achieved.
The high point of the event was a symbolic career road walk by girls on the streets of Bayelsa State with inscriptions like ‘ protect us, stop the rape, do not abuse us and our future is in your hands”.
The celebration also had in attendance boys and men who came to pledge their commitment and support for the girl child.