Participants at the International Day of the Girl Child event. Photo: Umar Sani.
Girls in Bauchi State have been urged to pursue education, acquire vocational skills and consider careers traditionally dominated by men to promote financial independence and tackle gender inequality.
The call was made at an event held in Bauchi on Sunday to mark the International Day of the Girl Child.
The event was organised under the Renewed Women’s Voice and Leadership Project in collaboration with ActionAid Nigeria, Azurfa Women and Youth Development Initiative, and Fahimta Women and Youth Development Initiative.
Speaking at the event, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of Fahimta Women and Youth Development Initiative, Mustapha Idris, said the annual celebration was aimed at raising awareness of girls’ rights and promoting their well-being.
He said the initiative was designed to encourage girls to explore different professions and address gender disparities in the workplace.
Idris urged the students to use their school holidays to acquire vocational skills, including shoemaking and soap production, to improve their economic prospects.
“Girls should not feel ashamed of learning a trade or engaging in legitimate businesses. These skills can provide them with sources of income, promote financial independence and reduce their reliance on others,” he said.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of Azurfa Women and Youth Development Initiative, Monica Tanko, urged the girls to remain focused on their education and avoid dropping out of school before completing their studies.
Tanko advised them to uphold their dignity while acquiring practical skills that would enable them to become self-reliant.
She stressed the importance of combining formal education with vocational training to prepare the girls for future challenges and opportunities.
In his remarks, an engineer with more than 20 years of professional experience, Timothy Ibrahim, encouraged the students to “consider careers in engineering”, noting that the profession was not exclusive to men.
He urged the girls “not to allow gender stereotypes to discourage them from pursuing their ambitions.”
Ibrahim said girls could excel in engineering and other professions traditionally dominated by men if given the necessary opportunities, encouragement and support.
PUNCH Online reports that the event was attended by female students from several schools in Bauchi metropolis, including Rafin Zurfi, Bakaro, Unguwar Doya, Gudun Sayawa and the Federal Government Girls’ College.
The International Day of the Girl Child is marked annually on October 11 to promote girls’ rights and draw attention to challenges affecting their development.