As the world celebrates the International Day of the Girl-child (IDGC), Aids Health Foundation - Nigeria has called on governments and stakeholders to do more for the protection of the rights of young girls through Comprehensive Sexual Education (CSE).
The Foundation made the call during an event organised at the Light Way Academy in Abuja with the theme; "Our Rights, Our Future."
Speaking to newsmen, AHF, Country Program Director, Dr Echey Ijezie said the aim of the programme is to ensure that rights of the girl child is protected. "We are bringing to the fore issues that concerns the girls because our girls deserve a better future.
"There should be awareness that women and young girls are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. One of the main thrusts of today's activity is Comprehensive Sexual Education (CSE). The reality is that girls from the ages of 8,9-15 engage in risky behaviours.
"So we are trying to educate the girls to ensure that we have age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education, because the information you will give an 8-year old girl is important, but it is going to be different from the information you give to a 9, 14 or 18year old girl and so on. The thrust of it is to make sure that they understand their rights, protect their rights and their future."
Dr Ijezie speaking further, called on government and stakeholders to come together to support young girls in other to secure their future.
"Our girls and women are disproportionately affected. "For example, menstrual hygiene, many girls miss school because they don't have access to menstrual pads, and some to unwanted pregnancy due to abuse. So at AHF - Nigeria and with all our strategic partners, we are pleading with everybody to have a concerted effort to educate the public, our girls that we must protect them, we must protect the child to the point where they are able to make the right choices and be able to report issues.
"So the IDGC for us today is about knowing their rights, knowing their future and also protecting this, and at the same time ensuring that there is age-appropriate comprehensive sexual education to help them understand the need to avoid risky behaviours. That way we can curtail infection, ensure we don't reverse any gains, while also ensuring that all goes well for our girls and population."
On his part, Deputy Director at the Universal Basic Education (UBE), Nsu Rabo called on teachers to stand in as parents to the young girls, adding that the girls need care and love from their teachers.
"If the teachers are able to play parental role to the students, it will create an atmosphere of cooperation and easy access for sharing information".
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Rabo, speaking on penalty for teachers who violate young girls, said UBE has a disciplinary arm to curtail such bad behaviors from teachers. He said the body frowns at such behavior, and that punishment could be suspension or dismissal.
A representative from the Federal Ministry of Health, Francisca Osibe in her address stressed the need to create a better and promising future for young girls in the country.
She said both teachers and parents must create a peaceful environment to support young girls.
15-year-old girl Rapture Yakubu, a student of Lightway Academy in her remarks highlighted comprehensive sexual education as a major takeaway from the event.
"I have learnt much today about sex and how to relate to people, especially the opposite sex. I also learnt how I can take care of myself during menstruation, because during that time you need to take more care of yourself."
Yakubu advised parents to always make out time to talk and take care of their children. "We are in an age where parents are more focused on making money to run the family, and especially to pay for school fees and all that, we are not saying that it is bad, we are saying, give us little time daily - ask us how our day went, in doing that we can open up and share things that may be bothering us.
She urged students to put into practice all that they've learned at the event. "Lets avoid anything that will make us drop out of school," she said.
