The Bazarab Educational Foundation observed the International Day of the Girl Child (October 11) by hosting a comprehensive advocacy press conference at its office in Ilorin. The event, led by CEO Dr. Zainab Bolaoko Balogun, served as a platform to demand collective efforts to end the numerous crises facing the girl child in Nigeria, aligning with this year’s empowering theme: “The girl I am, the change I lead: Girls on the frontlines of crisis.”
The celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child, observed on October 11, was met with a powerful call to action by the Bazarab Educational Foundation, who highlighted the myriad crises girls face from domestic discrimination to systemic violence.
The rallying cry centered on the year’s theme: “The girl I am, the change I lead: Girls on the frontlines of crisis,” which, according to stakeholders, emphasizes the need to empower girls to overcome and lead through the challenges confronting them.
Speaking at an event to mark the day, Dr. Zainab Bolaoko Balogun, the CEO of Bazarab Educational Foundation, passionately detailed the deep-rooted issues limiting the girl child’s potential.
Dr. Balogun argued that the crisis begins in the home, where girls often face discrimination by being burdened with all domestic chores, washing, cleaning, cooking, and childcare while their male counterparts are favored. This systemic bias is compounded by poverty, which pushes many families toward harmful practices.
“Early marriage is another crisis because of poverty,” she stated, noting that some parents marry off their daughters to gain resources they can use to sponsor the education of a male child.
She also pointed out other severe forms of violence such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): Dr. Balogun spoke out against FGM, citing its long-term health consequences, including complications during childbirth, loss of sexual enjoyment, and in some cases, death from excessive bleeding or the development of Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF).
Harassment and Exploitation: She condemned the harassment girls face from peers, teachers, fathers, and uncles, where they are exploited “because they are [seen as the] weaker sex” and are afraid to speak up, often living with trauma for life.
The urgency of the situation was echoed by young participants. Akanbi Mariam and Akanbi Rofiat, two young advocates, shared their personal perspective on the crisis. Mariam highlighted the pressure from men and society, as well as the limitations on access to education, noting that “most of the girls are not in school, due to hawking and so much.”
Rofiat specifically addressed the issue of violence, stating that the prevalence of rape and molestation is so high that girls are “so scared to go outside, to walk, to get free with people.” She also noted that poverty forces girls into desperate situations, such as prostitution, just to afford basic needs like food or healthcare, which only exacerbates their problems. The young women appealed directly to the government to urgently provide for their needs.
Dr. Balogun argued that the crisis facing the girl child impacts the entire nation, emphasizing the popular saying: “When you train a child, especially a girl, you have to train a nation.” She noted that women are more likely to support their extended families—cousins, nephews, nieces, and elders—which means that investing in a girl benefits a wider community.
She expressed optimism about a new bill currently in its second stage in the National Assembly, which canvasses for women to be represented in all governance sectors. She argued that women’s political representation is critical to addressing issues like gender-based and domestic violence. “If a woman is there, honestly we will be able to solve a lot of problems,” she said.
Dr. Balogun celebrated the actions of prominent female leaders as examples of the positive change women bring. She praised Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for asking well-wishers to donate funds toward the completion of the long-abandoned National Library Headquarters Project for her 65th birthday, channeling potential billions away from a personal celebration and toward education.
Similarly, she commended Ambassador Professor Mrs. Olufolake Abdulrazaq, the First Lady of Kwara State, for her recent charitable efforts, including the donation of school sandals and menstrual hygiene pads to vulnerable students—actions which help reduce economic barriers to a girl’s education.
Mallam Kawu Sulaiman, Secretary of the Bazarab Educational Foundation concluded the advocacy event by lending his full support to Dr. Balogun’s message. “What she has said, as parents, as human beings, we need to look at it very critically, so that the areas that we are affected, we should try to amend,” he said, reiterating that a setback for the girl child is a setback for the nation.
The advocates urged all members of society to fully embrace the spirit of the International Day of the Girl Child, to end the crises, and to invest in a generation that “is now and will forever be” the nation’s future.
