Stakeholders have called for stronger measures to end child marriage and protect the rights of girls, warning that harmful cultural practices, poverty, and gender-based violence continue to threaten their education, health, and safety.
Orange FM’s Oluseye Akinwalere reports that the call comes as the world marks the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child with the theme, “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights,” highlighting the need for sustained efforts to protect girls and create opportunities for their development.
European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, stressed that every girl deserves the opportunity to complete her education, develop her talents, and make informed decisions about her future without the threat of forced or early marriage.
Mignot emphasised the importance of protecting girls from practices that deprive them of their childhood and limit their opportunities to contribute meaningfully to society.
Similarly, gender advocate Mrs Nnediso Ogazhechi said the challenge extended beyond recognising the rights of the girl child to ensuring that commitments made by governments and other stakeholders translated into measurable results.
She called for deliberate actions to address the barriers preventing girls from accessing education, healthcare, and other opportunities essential for their development.
Child rights advocate Chisom Okafor also stressed the need to create environments where girls could express themselves freely, participate in decisions affecting their lives, and pursue their aspirations without discrimination or unnecessary restrictions.
She maintained that empowering girls required collective efforts to protect their rights and ensure their voices were heard in matters concerning their future.
Child marriage remains a major concern because of its potential consequences, including disrupted education, increased health risks, exposure to violence, and economic dependence.
In Nigeria, poverty, insecurity, limited access to quality education, and entrenched social norms continue to pose challenges to the protection and advancement of girls in some communities.
The 2026 theme therefore calls on governments, families, communities, development partners, and civil society organisations to move beyond annual celebrations and implement sustained measures to end child marriage, keep girls in school, improve access to healthcare, and promote their participation in decisions affecting their lives.
