Although UNICEF Executive Director, Ms Carol Bellamy
has been to Nigeria for three previous occasions, her fourth visit
highlighted condition of women and children in Nigeria which demands
critical analysis and response. It was therefore not coincidental that
the occasion was used to launch the Strategy for Acceleration of Girls
Education in Nigeria (SAGEN).
Nigeria: Challenges of the girl-child
The project, a collaboration between the Federal
Government of Nigeria and UNICEF was a critical plan of action to ensure
that as many girls as boys are in school by 2005.
“The challenge in Nigeria is significant. Of the 3.2
million children who are out of school, 2.6 million of them are girls.
Every effort to identify and remove the obstacles that prevent these
girls from accessing and completing a quality basic education will work,
at the same time, to improve the quality of learning for all children,
boys and girls alike”, a statement from UNICEF said.
“SAGEN is a national response to a global challenge to
rapidly reduce the number of out-of-school girls. Nigeria is one of the
25 countries in UNICEF's '25 by 2005' campaign, which aims to close the
gender gap in schools in 25 countries by 2005”, the statement further
stressed.
Developed in close consultation with partners in the
field of education, SAGEN outlines a plan of accelerated action to
ensure that all girls currently denied access to quality education are
in school by 2005.
It takes into account work already being done by
development agencies and funding partners as part of the Education for
All (EFA) movement. It seeks to enhance and complement existing
initiatives and efforts in the interest of accelerating progress in
girls' education as an integral part of EFA.
Hence, speaking at the occasion, Bellamy commended the
Federal Government's strong commitment to improving access and quality
in basic education throughout Nigeria, particularly with respect to
girls education. “Nigeria is a prominent member of the 25 by 2005 group
of countries that have pledged to accelerate progress on girls'
education within the coming two years. Just a month ago, in Ougadougou. I had the pleasure
of participating in the West and Central African Regional launch of "25
by 2005" with the President of Burkina Faso. That meeting was attended
by high-level representatives from all 24 countries in the region. Eight
of which, including the largest - Nigeria - have been identified as
countries that can greatly benefit from an accelerated drive to advance
girls education:” she said.
One of the key questions posed in Ouagadougou she said
was: “Can we afford to invest in girls' education as a means to
achieving EFA goals? She added that "we cannot afford not to?”
She described girls' education as the single
intervention that could produce the best, most wide-ranging results for
long-term sustainable development. “It is the world's best hope”, she
emphasised.
This is so as it protects girls from exploitation,
hazardous and exploitative forms of labour, and HIV/AIDS. It optimises
the birth rate, reducing early pregnancies and infant/child mortality.
“Girls' education has also been said to improve family
cohesion, health and nutrition. Above all, it contributes to stronger
economies and to building lasting democracies. It is in recognition of these, together with the
alarming disparities that still exist within some countries, that the
'25 by 2005 Initiative' was developed, which aims at providing an
agreed- upon platform for accelerating and coordinating work on girls'
education”, she stressed.
While the thrust of the effort is on achieving the
millennium development goals and EFA, the initiative is also a key
component in the “World Fit for Children”, the action plan of last
year's General Assembly's Special Session on Children — as well in as
the realisation of the NEPAD goals.
Of the 25 countries participating in the global
initiative, 15 are in Africa, eight of them in the West and Central
African Region. Thus, as Africa's largest nation, it is only natural to
expect that Nigeria will set an example for others. Bellamy observed that those who do not currently enjoy
their right to basic education are the poor who live in remote areas and
in urban slums.
“This is why UNICEF has committed itself to assisting
countries in achieving the millennium development goal of achieving
gender parity in education first by 2005, and has made this a top
organisational priority. We are delighted that the Nigerian Government
shares this priority with us”, she added.
The UNICEF boss was of the view that Nigeria has a
remarkable opportunity to set the pace, having successfully made the
transition from one civilian democratic government to another while
retaining much of the key leadership to ensure continuity, unlike
countries incapacitated by civil or external wars.
She equally observed that amid the politics, Nigeria
has demonstrated strong commitment towards children with the passage of
a Child Rights Bill, which amplifies its commitment to upholding the
principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
“So our expectation is that parity can indeed be
achieved in the short term. The national average is 12 per cent.
However, what we need to address urgently is the problem in states with
disparity as high as 48 per cent. It is in such states that our
principal efforts must therefore be focused. Girls need a safe and supportive environment free
from abuse, with separate toilet facilities, safe and available drinking
water, equal attention and a gender sensitive curriculum. And let us not
forget that boys will also benefit from all these aspects. The creation
of a favourable and sustainable policy environment is critical. Nigeria
is to be congratulated for the strategic plan for Universal Basic
Education (UBE) that commits it to provide child and girl friendly
schools. l note that EFA plans are being developed at the state level
and a focused national EFA plan is soon to be elaborated for Nigeria.
UNICEF hopes that these will quickly be translated into action”, she
noted.
She equally spoke about the issue of Non-formal
education. “It is essential to increasing access for out-of-school
girls, need to be accredited as a complementary means of learning.
Nomadic and Koranic forms of education require our support towards
building a more effective and comprehensive curriculum. child protection
measures also need to be implemented to prevent the exploitation that
all too often keeps children, especially girls, away from school” she
said.
She called for partnerships with other multilateral
agencies, the civil society, the private sector and like-minded
bilateral donors. She cited a number of organisation which are already
collaborating with UNICEF in this regards while noting the investment
opportunities workshop held in Ougadougou last month. This, she further
said signaled increasing levels of collaboration with the World Bank.
“We are also seeking to broaden and deepen relations
with civil society, including the Nigerian Forum for African Women's
Education. We have also developed key private sector partnerships with
British Airways, DHL and the Sheraton Hotel group. Skeptics will ask
whether the elimination of gender disparities by 2005 is trully
feasible. I would point to recent examples of good practices that
encourage confidence — on the cost-effective satellite schools
established in Burkina Faso to the use of proxy buildings for schools in
Bhutan to Mothers' Clubs in The Gambia — and here in Nigeria to
girls-only schools,” she stressed.
In Benin City, Bellamy had a session with the
Governor, Chief Lucky Igbinedion and the traditional head, Omo'n'Oba,
Uku Akpulokpolo, Oba Erediuwa. She called for concerted efforts against
international prostitution, HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, especially in Edo
State.
Accompanied by UNICEF Representative in Nigeria Dr.
Ezio Gianni Murzi, the Deputy Representative and Senior Programme
Officer, B-Field, Dr. Barbara Raynolds, the Assistant Representative and
Chief of Field Office, Dr. Noel Ihebuzor as well as Mr. Tom Mshindi,
chief of communication, Bellamy pleaded with both the governor and the
traditional ruler to help stem the rate of involvement of their
indigenes in the inglorious international sex trade.
“As a key partner within the FGN/UNICEF Country
Programme of Cooperation in the South West of Nigeria. I am happy to
acknowledge the milestone achieved by your previous administration in
the struggle to ensure that the basic rights of children and women are
respected and promoted in your State.”
“The passage of Bills against trafficking in children
and young women and against Female Genital Cutting by the Edo State
House of Assembly is indeed a milestone in this campaign. I urge other
states to emulate the Edo State example. However, whilst these are
positive steps much more needs to be done”, she said.
At the Oba's palace, Bellamy called his attention to
the many challenges facing all leaders in these opening years of the
21st century including human trafficking, sex trade, HIV/AIDS and urged
him not only to speak and mobilise parents to educate their children and
young people about the epidermic, but to examine and address the
socio-cultural causes that lead young women to consider prostitution an
acceptable option for economic self-empowerment.
“The HIV prevalence rate in Edo State of 7.8 per cent
is a cause for great concern. Young people between the ages of 10 and 24
are the most affected. Again. we must mobilise parents, teachers, the
mass media and the young people themselves in our onslaught against
HIV/AIDS. It is not just time to "break the silence" but time to speak
out boldly and at every opportunity to take action against this disease.
We cannot afford to do less”, she advised.
Bellamy also called for increase budgetary allocations
to social services, increase educational opportunities for young people,
create more jobs, reduce household poverty, among others.
“Our young people are demanding nothing less and will
hold us accountable. In this regard. I commend Your Excellency for your
support to the Youth Skills Acquisition Centre in Benin. which will be
co-funded with the Swedish Government and UNICEF. I shall keenly follow
the progress of this innovative project. My expectation is that it will
become a model of positive action to help stem youth restiveness in the
Niger Delta region. which other states can emulate”, she said.
Other highlights of the visit was the meeting and
dialogue with 20 child parliamentarians from Delta and Edo States. She
also exchange views with four National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) peer
educators from Akure and Ondo States who were working on youth HIV/AIDS
awareness and training. programmes.
By Andrew Ahiante
20 August 2003
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