By Halimah Olamide
Stakeholders at the Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) Daily Activism against Gender-Based Violence have encouraged the need to educate the girl-child, seeking ways to curb gender-based violence.
The online program which held on Sunday 26 November 2023, via X (formerly Twitter) with the theme: “Girl Child Education and long-term implications on news room leadership”, is a 16-day event slated to hold daily between Saturday 25th Novemever to 10th December, 2023 by 4pm.
The event held was moderated by Chioma Ezenwafor, News manager of Cool FM/Wazobia FM, with other panelists including; Hon. Mariya Abdulahi, Chairperson of High-Level Women Advocacy (HILWA), Matilda Umiah Ngbaronye, DPO Ilupeju and Former SP Lagos Command, Hilda Desmond-Ihekaire, Coordinator of African Women Lawyers Association Rivers Chapter and Anams.
Veteran broadcaster, Mrs. Bimbo Oloyede while contributing to the discussion lamented how some practices against women have conspired against their rise in the media adding that many of the times, the fact that a staff is a woman works against her in the scheme of things.
Oloyede however, encouraged women nort to give up adding that even if they have to sponsor themselves on trainings, they must do so. She urged parents to also support the girl-child in pursuing her dreams.
Speaking on the topic, the DPO Ilupeju, Matilda Umiah Ngbaronye, harped on the need for women to be educated as global participation projects men to be 4% more than women meaning that at least almost half of the world are women
“The question is what do we want from women, if the women make almost half of the world that means there is need for the women to be educated.”
She further highlighted the various forms of discriminations faced by women in public spaces and offices and even in the society generally.
“Today, it is a global thing for women to be educated because women are the most important part of living and leadership
“Educating the girl child is educating the world because a girl child right from childhood is taught to be a certain way
“Women make sure there is balance in all fairs of leadership.”
Ngbaronye recalled her time joining the force when there were very few women in leadership positions and reflected on the current situation as things have changed.
“Leaving a woman uneducated means not harnessing the full potential of about 60% of the world.
“Women are everywhere and we are seeing it, we’re given equal grounds to compete fairly in things we think we can do.
“Women understand what needs to be done to get what needs to be gotten. However, because we have been put down for a very long time, these qualities were not harnessed.
“Educating a girl child is educating a nation, educated women can become more mentors supporting the development of more female leaders and contributing to a more inclusive workspace.” She concluded.
On her part, Hilda Desmond-Ihekaire, noted that the best education a girl child can get is proper mentorship and advocated for 50% availability of jobs for women and grants for women who seek to start-up businesses.
“That’s why you see according to United Nation statistics, 3 in 5 women are poor and are uneducated people.
“There should be legislations that would put them on the same pedestal as men.
Anams Oluchi, CEO, Ad4 Communications Ltd, stated that the girl child education and their impact in the news room cannot be over-emphasized
“It cuts across the totality of an individual, the totality of the girl child
“When you bring them up young and teach them right, it does not just help them at their workplace, it helps in their individual lives.
“When a girl child is empowered, we’ve also given her the power to empower another and it goes like that.”
Hon. Mariya Abdulahi also highlighted the discriminations women are faced with in upholding leadership positions.