By Abayomi Idowu
The Rotary Club of Akowonjo has called for stronger protection of girls’ rights, greater investment in their education and improved access to support services to combat child marriage, sexual abuse and domestic violence.
The call was made at an event organised by the club to mark the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child at Abesan School Complex Hall, Lagos, with the theme, “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights.”
The programme brought together secondary school students, parents and other stakeholders to discuss the dangers of early marriage, the importance of education and the responsibility of families and society to protect girls from abuse and harmful practices.
Speaking at the event, the Impact President of Rotary Club of Akowonjo, Rotarian Oladapo Bankole, said the initiative was designed to create awareness, encourage parents to reject early marriage and provide girls with the platform and confidence to pursue their ambitions.
Bankole said the club hoped to discourage families from marrying off their daughters because of financial difficulties and instead encourage them to support the girls’ education and personal development.
He expressed the hope that the initiative would help more girls gain access to university education, prepare them for leadership and enable them to contribute meaningfully to national development.
The guest speaker, Barrister Dorcas Aderemi, Principal Partner of AAO Legal Practice and Team Lead at Family Laws NG, urged the students to take their education seriously and remain focused on their aspirations.
During an interactive session, the students identified careers they hoped to pursue, including law, medicine, economics, banking, music, fashion design, acting, dentistry and service in the Nigerian Air Force.
Aderemi encouraged them to work towards their goals, stressing that girls should not be raised solely for marriage or restricted to domestic responsibilities.
She said education remained important regardless of a girl’s chosen career, adding that knowledge could open doors to professional, creative and entrepreneurial opportunities.
The lawyer identified poverty, insecurity and gender inequality among factors that could expose girls to early marriage. She urged parents to support their daughters emotionally and financially, warning against attitudes that place marriage above a girl’s education, ambitions and well-being.
She also advocated support for girls whose education is interrupted by pregnancy, saying they should not automatically be denied the opportunity to return to school and build a future.
In a particularly practical part of the session, Aderemi urged parents and guardians to seek assistance when children experience sexual abuse, harassment, domestic violence or threats of forced or early marriage.