Abuja: Stakeholders from various sectors have emphasised the urgent need to dismantle barriers and promote inclusive education for girls as a pathway to empowerment and national development. They made the call at the SDG4 for Girls Summit, themed ‘Advancing Education for Girls: Breaking Barriers, Creating Leaders,’ organised by Focus on Women and Girls Initiative for Positive Change (FOWGI).
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Mrs. Rifkatu Ademola, Founder of FOWGI, highlighted key challenges limiting girls’ access to uninterrupted quality education, such as lack of safe learning spaces, cultural norms, and economic hardship. She stressed the importance of aligning action with policy to ensure that no girl is left behind due to poverty, period, or patriarchy. Ademola also emphasised the need for innovative teaching methods and emotional and mental support for girls, along with solutions rooted in their lived experiences.
Ademola called for collaboration between government, civil society, schools, parents, and the girls themselves, stating that real change could not occur in isolation. She urged the summit participants to ensure that their efforts sparked a movement to transform the lives of thousands of girls in Nigeria and beyond.
Ms. Boluwatife Adenuga, Senior Legislative Aide to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Founder of the Rolly Mc Aden Foundation, cited UNICEF figures showing that approximately 7.8 million girls were currently out of school in Nigeria. She highlighted the importance of addressing this gap for national development, gender equality, and economic empowerment, noting that girl-child education benefits not only the individual but also families, communities, and the nation.
Miss Michelle Zantou, an SS2 student at Government Secondary School (GSS), Tudun Wada, Wuse Zone 4, underscored the importance of creating a society where students can thrive without barriers to their potential. Deborah Onu of GSS Garki appealed to the government and stakeholders to improve access to menstrual hygiene management and supplies to reduce absenteeism among schoolgirls. Latisha Ibe from GSS Wuse, Zone 3, urged policymakers to expand access to quality education, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
The summit also featured panel discussions on community-driven solutions for advancing girls’ education and strategies for translating policy into tangible progress.
