As the world celebrates the International Day of the Girl Child with the theme: ‘Invest in Girls’ Rights” TIP joins in the call for the Nigeria government to take urgent action for the advancement and protection of the right of the Girl Child in Nigeria.
The international observance day for the girl child is celebrated to increase awareness of gender inequality faced by girls worldwide on the basis of their gender and this inequality is largely seen in the areas of access to education, violence against women and girls and lack of WASH facilities for girls in school amongst other issues.
TIP is deeply worried that many secondary schools in Nigeria lack adequate WASH facilities in Schools and this has detrimental consequences for girls’ attendance, academic performance, and overall well-being. According to UNICEF report, out of the 10 Million Nigerian children who are currently out of school, 60% of them are girls. Lack of WASH facilities in schools not only impacts their educational progress but also perpetuates gender disparities and reinforces stereotypes that undermine the advancement of girls in our society.
TIP firmly believes that investing in girls’ education and ensuring access to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) facilities in schools is an affirmative action geared towards the brighter future and overall wellbeing of every girl child in Nigeria.
TIP is presently raising awareness on the menstrual hygiene management among girls in schools and communities in Imo and Kano State. Under this project, TIP have embarked on awareness campaigns and conducted advocacy visits to increase awareness on the proper menstrual hygiene management in schools in order to keep girls safe in schools. In this regard TIP strongly advocates that the government at all tiers should partner with both private and public school management authorities for the provision of mensural pads in school toilets in order to ensue accessibility of same to the girls, especially at a time like this when the cost of mensural pads are getting very expensive and unaffordable to these girls.
To mark the International Day of the Girl Child, TIP celebrates alongside girls at Ideal Crystal School, Debby and Ruby Schools in Lagos State and Premium International Secondary School, Imo State. TIP educated the girls on their fundamental rights and these girls made a clarion call to the Government to provide menstrual hygiene facilities to all girls in schools to support learning and ensure they do not miss classes because of period shame.
TIP further urges the Nigeria government to urgently come up with a policy that will ensure the provision of functional, safe, inclusive, and gender-responsive Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) facilities in all schools in Nigeria in order ensure healthy mensural management, protect students from the risks of open defecation, and prevent WASH-related infections due to the lack of water and hand-washing facilities in schools.
Signed by
Pamela Okoroigwe
Director