Segun Awofadeji in Gombe
As the world commemorates the International Day of the Girl Child, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called for collective action to end child marriage and ensure equal access to education and development opportunities for all children, particularly girls from poor and vulnerable families.
The Chief of UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique made the call yesterday during the commemoration of the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child, organised by the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office at Maidugu Hotel, Gombe under the theme, “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights,” brought together traditional rulers, women’s groups, development partners, media practitioners and girls to discuss strategies for protecting girls’ rights, improving their wellbeing and expanding their access to education and skills development.
Dr. Nuzhat Rafique explained that no country could achieve meaningful development without providing boys and girls with equal opportunities to access quality education and realise their full potential.
She noted that despite progress in promoting girls’ rights, millions of girls worldwide continued to face discrimination, violence, poverty and conflict, which restricted their choices and denied them opportunities to fulfil their aspirations.
According to UNICEF’s 2026 estimates, approximately one in five girls worldwide is married before the age of 18, representing about 650 million women and girls alive today who were married during childhood.
The UN agency also estimated that more than 12 million girls were married before reaching adulthood each year, with sub-Saharan Africa recording the highest prevalence at 31 per cent.
Rafique expressed concern that child marriage continued to deprive girls of education, threaten their health and expose them to violence, social isolation and psychological distress.
She also highlighted the disproportionate impact of crises, conflicts and displacement on girls, noting that such conditions increased their vulnerability to child marriage, sexual violence and maternal mortality.
The UNICEF chief said girls aged 15 to 19 were twice as likely as boys to be outside education, employment or training, while girls in fragile and conflict-affected settings faced greater risks of missing out on secondary education.
“Every girl deserves a childhood. Every girl deserves the freedom to learn, to grow, to make her own choices and to define her own future. Yet millions of girls are still denied that freedom,” she said.
Rafique noted that child marriage was preventable, citing investments in girls’ education, legal reforms and social protection as important measures that had helped avert an estimated 68 million child marriages over the past 25 years.
She called for sustained investment in girls’ education, improved access to healthcare and social protection services, and stronger collaboration with families and communities to challenge harmful social norms that perpetuated child marriage.
She urged stakeholders to advocate laws and policies that protect girls’ rights, promote their leadership and ensure their participation in decisions affecting their lives and future.
The UNICEF chief further stressed the need for traditional rulers, government officials in the education, health and social sectors, women’s organisations and civil society groups to work together to address challenges affecting children, particularly girls.
According to her, meaningful development could only be achieved when government and community stakeholders worked collectively to create an environment where children could learn, grow and thrive.
Rafique also emphasised the importance of educating and empowering women, describing their wellbeing as critical to the development of children and society.
She said an educated, healthy and well-nourished mother was better positioned to provide the care and support necessary for her children’s development.
“Women make up about half of the population. If women are not educated and empowered, how can they adequately protect and support their children? How can a society progress when half of its population is left behind?” she asked.
She called for greater support for women and girls through access to education, skills acquisition, professional opportunities and participation in civic and national life.
Rafique also urged traditional rulers to use their influence to promote education and discourage practices that exposed girls to early marriage.
“That is why we must all support the education and empowerment of women and girls. We must also stand firmly against child marriage. Let children be children. Let them go to school, grow in a safe environment and have the opportunity to determine their future,” she said.
Also speaking, the Gombe State Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development, Barrister Sani Ahmed Haruna, described child marriage as a global public health and human rights concern with serious implications for child protection, education, development and psychological wellbeing.
Haruna, represented by an Assistant Director in the ministry, Abdulrazak Abdulmumini, said ending child marriage required the collective efforts of government, communities, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, parents and other stakeholders.
He urged parents and community leaders to protect children’s rights and create an environment where they could access education, develop their abilities and realise their full potential.
“Our dear daughters, you have the right to be a child, to go to school, to enjoy your childhood and, in the future, to make informed choices about your life,” he said.