Proposed Policy Direction on Girl Child Education and Empowerment in Nigeria.

By Shaakaa Manasseh

It is widely acknowledged that the empowerment of women must begin with the empowerment of girls through education. Regrettably, girls still remain less likely to enroll and graduate than boys; and women still account for two-third of adults without literacy skills says Ruthi Hanchett of World Vision International (www.ungei.org.)

Building on existing Child Friendly School Initiative which is supported by UNICEF, Atlanticare Support Initiative (ASI) shall focus on the following strategies outline by World Vision International to achieve some of its objectives regarding the girl child education in Nigeria:

1. To use advocacy in influencing the financing for education, by looking at the amount of money allocated by stakeholders as well as how it is spent.
2. Advocate for donor government to allocate their fair percentage of Oversea Development Aid to education – prioritizing girls.
3. To challenge harmful traditional practices and attitude that keep girls from completing their education.
4. To empower communities, including girls, to know their rights to education and work with their government at various level to ensure all people are educated.
5. To complement work of government through redressing many of the less direct financial costs and social barriers that keep girls from school. For example, provision of school uniforms, books and means of mobility like bicycle for those trekking from distant places.
6. To straighten education quality through offering training and resource development for the girl child.
7. To work closely with communities of marginalized and left-out children particularly the girl child, and thus they can serve as critical partners for inclusion.

NOTE: The Child Friendly School Initiative is a well-managed school with a safe learning environment, with access to adequate water and sanitation, with effective well trained teachers, with gender sensitive learning and teaching materials.