ICI-GWODEF Marks 10th Anniversary Of Girl-Child Day In Grand Style

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the event, which was held at Ukpor Civic Centre located at Owolabi Street, Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos, attracted many dignitaries including officers of Nigeria Police, NDLEA, Legal Aids Council of Nigeria, NAPTIP and girls from various schools across the State.

The theme of this year’s event was titled “Our Time is now, Our right and Our Future”.

The President of the association,  Barr. (Mrs.) Nkechi Onyenso, explained that the event is usually organized every year in collaboration with the United Nations Day for the girl child.

She stated that ICI-GWODEF marks the event not only to celebrate the girl child but to prepare them for the future and create awareness on the challenges of the girl child because every child is a builder of a nation.

She said that over the years the annual event was meant to appraise the critical issues affecting a girl child on gender inequality, education, medical care, right and protection from discrimination, child marriage and mortality of girl child among others.

Barr. Onyenso noted that over the years, much had been achieved in terms of creating awareness but those abuses are still prevalent in the society and there was need to intensify the efforts to minimize them in the society.

On the aims and objectives of ICI-GWODEF, she explained that the organization had been working over the years, to protect the girl child by providing legal services, counseling, protecting and fighting for their rights through various legal means after it was founded by Barrister Helen Nchedo Ibeji and the members of the group cut across the Local Government areas in Lagos State.

She urged all the critical stakeholders in the society to join hands to ensure that every girl child is protected in the society because they are the future leaders and nation builders.

Speakers at the event noted that the girl child is the most vulnerable in the society as she is mostly the victim of abuses such as child labour, sexual assault, rape, trafficking among others and urged that all hands should be on deck to protect the girl child in the society.

The event witnessed the presence of students from various schools, who entertained the guests with dances including the physically challenged children who equally performed to entertain the guests.