The Nigerian Senate has called for a state of emergency on the protection and welfare of the girl-child to address the educational, health, and safety needs of girls across the country.
The upper chamber also urged state governments to domesticate and enforce the Child Rights Act and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, with a focus on eradicating harmful traditional practices like female genital mutilation.
The resolutions followed a motion by Senator Ireti Kingibe on the plight of the Nigerian girl child and the urgent need for intervention by the Federal Government to save the future of Nigerian girls.
Kingibe expressed concern that girl-child marriage remains prevalent across Nigeria, with the northern zones showing alarming statistics.
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She said according to the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, over 44 per cent of girls are married before the age of 18, with high percentages in states like Zamfara, Bauchi, and Sokoto.
Senator Kingibe also lamented that gender-based violence, including rape, child trafficking, and physical abuse, continues to rise across Nigeria, with numerous incidents reported in all six geopolitical zones
She said these cases are often with minimal legal recourse or protection for the victims, leaving girls vulnerable, stigmatized, and unsupported.
The Senate in its resolution mandated it’s Committee on Legislative Compliance to monitor the implementation of girl-child protection laws and policies, ensuring that gaps are addressed, and accountability maintained.
(Editor: Oloyede Oworu)
