The Wife of the President, Hajiya Aisha Buhari has lamented the prevalence of child marriage in the north, saying that such practice negatively affect the health, education, economic condition and increase domestic violence of girls.
This is as she said that in spite of putting key legislation that deals with child marriage in place by the Nigerian government, the country is yet to see full the implementation or positive results from the law.
Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja, Hajiya Buhari, who was represented by the wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo at the National Conference on Social Protection for the Girl Child, organized by ActionAid in partnership with Ford foundation, maintains that child marriage is a controversial topic in Nigeria both in the North and South, adding however that over 50 percent of girls in the North marry before the age of 15.
While noting that 28.2 percent of married women in Nigeria are between the ages of 15 and 19 compared to 1.1 percent of men in the same age group, Hajiya Buhari said that violence against the girl child is based on cultural beliefs and gender norms which takes many different forms in Nigeria, including domestic violence, female genital mutilation (FGM), early marriage, sexual violence, and exploitation through child labor and domestic work.
She noted that only 23 states have so far domiciled the Child Right Act, with 13 of the remaining states still at various stages, and therefore called on all stakeholders to support government's effort at all levels to improve the education conditions of the girls.
The wife of the President, pledged her support to advocate the passage of the Child's Right Act in the remaining Nigerian states.
In his presentation, the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi said that the right of the father to marry out his daughter without her consent should be taken away, adding that such right does not exist.
The Emir whose presentation was on the context and realities of social protection of the girl child in Nigeria( with a focus on child marriage, abduction, physical and sexual abuse) stressed that men take privileges and not responsibilities and therefore urged that wife battering should be stopped immediately as there is no commandment that gives the man the privilege to beat his wife.
Commenting on the issue of divorce, Sanusi said a man should be able to cater for his wife and feed his family even after he has divorced her.
On security, the Emir said that to end the Boko Haram insurgency, a short term solution which is the military must be in place, adding however that a long term solution which involves addressing basic education and lack of opportunities is of utmost priority to avoid the rise of other violent sects.
He further noted that to achieve change, the greatest opportunity with change is to define once and for all, who the government exists for, adding that when it is known that the government does not exist for party, politicians and vested interests but for the people, then many things will change especially attitudes.
Sanusi said considerations should be given to people's cultures and attitudes rather than condemnations as some of these cultures are determined by economic conditions and opportunities available, adding that there is a need for empathy towards others and their cultures.
According to him, "What are the priority of the state, does the state exist to make the public servants, party members richer; does it exist to address the problems of the poor who cannot afford basic amenities? Answering these questions will help the country set its priorities right."
Earlier in his remarks, the country Director ActionAid, Ojobo Ode Atuluku said that the plight of the girl child has been the subject of policy attention in various arena in recent times, adding that the adolescent girl child especially has been invisible in development.
While noting that the potential of the girl child needs to become more and more mainstream in development discourse or action, he further said that early marriage, violence and kidnapping are areas to pay attention to in providing social protection for the girl child.
Also speaking, the representative of Ford Foundation, Innocent Chukwuma said that one in every three girls are estimated to be married before the age of 18, noting that child marriage lies at the intersection of a broad set of structural and social problems facing girls today.
He further said; "The practice of child marriage violates girls' human rights; curtails their educational future and success; exposes them to greater health risks related to maternal mortality, maternal disability, infant disability and HIV; and is more likely to lead them into violent and abusive circumstances, social exclusion and poverty".
By Gift Olivia Samuel
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