Chief Mrs.Theresa Ezama
Monday, 8 October 2018.
On 11 October, we will mark the International Day of the Girl Child, by acknowledging the value and contribution being made by girls all over the world, who form part of the world’s population.
This generation of girls is growing up in a time of unprecedented social, political, economic, and environmental transformation and limitations.
Never before have we needed such strong leadership and innovation which incorporates the participation of people of all ages and genders.
In order to meet the global challenges being faced by our world, I believe that we must, first and foremost, remove the obstacles that are currently impeding our progress to achieve full gender equity and equality.
Achieving real opportunities for people of all genders is at the heart of the Cross river state Government Agenda, and its Sustainable Development Goals.
However, at present, there is no society in the world where men and women are truly treated equally.
At the current rate of progress, according to indicators from the World Economic Forum, it will take an estimated 170 years to achieve full gender parity.
We cannot afford to wait that long.
I am certain that in order to create a sustainable and long-term change, we must actively include the voices and experiences of our young girls.
They are essential stakeholders in our journey towards positive change. We must set our girls on a trajectory in which they are given the same opportunities to thrive and to reach their full potential, just like our boys.
Girls must be assured of equitable access to opportunities in all facets of their lives, from education through to employment. It is when we respect the full dignity and wellbeing of women and girls, and the value of their contributions, that we can make a real difference in our communities and our society.
For this reason, we must continue to promote active processes of child participation, which recognise children as social agents in their own right. We must raise our daughters to think of themselves as potential leaders and innovative thinkers, with a worthwhile contribution to make to our communities.
There is an urgent need to widen the opportunities open for children, and our young girls in particular, by empowering them to become women who lead.
It is for this reason that I am a proud patron for the "street to school campaign" launched by the Cross river state Child protection commission.
The street to school campaign seeks to overcome dangerous forms of gender stereotyping, and create an environment which encourages and supports young women to consider the possibility of school and leadership lifestyle.
I would like to acknowledge a number of individuals and organisations, both locally and internationally, which are helping us to share the message that underpins the International Day of the Girl Child.
In terms of the Street to School campaign, we are hopeful to receive valuable support from stakeholders.
This important initiative is being coordinated by my commission, that is, the Chairperson’s for Cross river state Child protection commission , which has organised a number of other initiatives to mark the International Day of the Girl Child in previous years.
Representatives from the Governor's office have visited CPC to share their contributions towards the programme.
Trainers will engage in workshops with female students to stimulate further discussion and create opportunities for the empowerment of female students.
On 11 October, the Street to school campaign will be launched in Okuku.
Locally, a parallel event to mark this day will be held at the vendel secondary school ,Okuku in Yala Local government Area of Cross river state.
The day will also mark the official launch of Yousafe, a Platform of Organisations for Women, which is facilitated by my commission. This platform also aims to encourage more women to participate in positions of influence and leadership.
A panel discussion will then be held, posing the question of how we can collectively contribute towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal on gender equality.
If we hope to overcome the many challenges facing our world today while also promoting positive peace, holistic wellbeing, and social justice, then I am certain that we cannot afford to leave half of our human family behind.
Our country, and our world, needs inspiring role models and strong strategies for shared leadership.
The world needs the precious participation of all our women and girls, alongside men and boys. In this way, we shall be creating the kind of future that we will be proud to hand down to future generations.
Chief Mrs.Theresa Ezama,Chairperson for cross river state Child Protection commission.
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