In Nigeria, though there are a significant number of women who have gained prominence in the public arena, the vast majority of Nigeria women still have no access to opportunities for self-development and economic empowerment. Girls are in many places confronted with same cultural challenges and discriminations that women experience. Girls, like women in Nigeria, still experience same persistent discrimination and more than men and boys.
The state of vulnerability, discrimination against and placement of limitation on potentials of girls in the country still persists in spite of several interventions. Access to education and training opportunities for girls and young women are still limited, thus limiting the opportunity for their empowerment which in itself could contribute to tackling issues around gender stereotypes.[1] Apart from education, other factors around health care, economic empowerment, forced early marriage etc are still up against the Nigerian girl. The girl in the emergency also fare worse than the other girls across the country with little or no thought given to the peculiarities of her situation and environment.
Against the background of the above, the 2021 IDGC theme, “Digital Generation, Our Generation” is therefore apt as in its call on all to join in creating an inclusive and equal world is also a rallying call for all “to choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality”[2].
As Plan International Nigeria continues in its efforts at fulfilling its commitment to working to transform unequal power relations for the purpose of ensuring that 10 million Nigerian girls can effectively lead, learn, decide and thrive, the moment of IDGC 2021 provides opportunity to rally relevant energies to begin to address the state of the Nigerian girl. It will be appropriate therefore to bring together relevant stakeholders to begin to interrogate space, system, opportunities and other intervening factors that are contributory to the state of the Nigerian girl and impact on the volume and reach of her voice as well as the prospect of an equal future for her.
There is no dearth of voices speaking on the situation of girls in Nigeria and there are many girls-focused, girls-led, women-focused and women-led organisations showing commitment to the issues affecting girls and young women in Nigeria. Some of these organisations have also through their many efforts produced different documents highlighting the plight of girls and young women in the country.
Methodology, expected output, consultancy information, responsibilities and key deliverables, qualification, ownership of output please, follow this link;
https://tinyurl.com/sjmh4drs
[1] 12 Critical Areas of Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
https://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing/platform/declar.htm
[2] IWD 2021 campaign theme: #ChooseToChallenge https://www.internationalwomensday.com/theme
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