By Edith Tsokar

The Blazing Pearls Initiative Network (BPIN) has called for an end to child marriage to protect girls’ rights, promote their education and support national development.

Mrs Lucia Hiikyaa, BPIN founder, made the call at an event commemorating the International Day of the Girl Child in Abuja on Wednesday.

The event, themed “End Child Marriage, Invest in Their Future,” highlighted the need to protect girls’ rights and expand educational opportunities. The day is marked annually on Oct. 11.

Hiikyaa said educating girls about their rights and encouraging parents and communities to support their development were essential to ending child marriage and promoting their well-being.

She urged parents to allow girls to complete their education, progress through different stages of life and make informed decisions about their future without societal pressure.

“A girl child needs to be given the opportunity to grow and decide for herself what she wants to be and when she wants to get married,” she said.

Hiikyaa said investing in girls’ education would equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to contribute meaningfully to society and the national economy.

“When you invest in the girl-child, you are investing in the leaders of tomorrow. They grow up to become people of value who can lead the country,” she said.

She added that empowering girls would promote entrepreneurship, responsible leadership and integrity in business, thereby contributing to sustainable national development.

Also speaking, Mrs Ejura Odauda, a co-founder of BPIN, emphasised the need to empower girls to pursue their aspirations without being burdened with responsibilities meant for adults.

Odauda said girls aspired to become doctors, lawyers, technicians, teachers and other professionals, like boys, adding that they deserved equal opportunities to achieve their ambitions.

She said the programme was designed to educate girls about their rights and encourage them to speak out against practices capable of hindering their development and future prospects.

According to her, child marriage remained a major barrier to girls’ education, as some were prepared for marriage rather than encouraged to pursue careers and other opportunities.

“One of the barriers is child marriage. Girls are often groomed for marriages instead of being prepared to pursue their careers and take advantage of opportunities,” she said.

Odauda said the organisation had previously conducted mentorship programmes and school outreaches, including activities involving internally displaced persons and female inmates, to support girls and young women.

Speaking on the lessons learnt, a student, Blessing Okoro, said she understood that child marriage was harmful and pledged to focus on her education and future aspirations.

Another student, Regina Agaba, said she aspired to become an engineer, identifying education as the major support she needed to achieve her ambition.

Agaba encouraged other girls to speak out whenever they encountered difficulties and seek assistance from trusted individuals who could guide and support them.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some parents in the community, who spoke on condition of anonymity, were yet to appreciate the value of education.

They expressed optimism that the programme would sensitise them to the importance of supporting girls’ education.(NAN)

Edited by Abigael Joshua/Abiemwense Moru