The Embassy of the United States of America, Abuja on Tuesday marked the International Day of the Girl Child with the conference, ‘Every woman is a star.’
Speaking at the event which held in the Ekiti Hall of the Embassy, Chargé d’Affaires of the Mission, David Young said: “On days such as this, we celebrate the progress we have made, we pledge to continue to strive to uphold our ideals.”
Young also said: “Like in Nigeria, the United States also has gender issues. Establishing social justice is a constant work in progress. We recognise that, and recognising such problems demonstrates strength.
The diplomat who said his recent with very malnourished child, her mother and also a young lady visiting the camp in the hope to make a difference, during his visit to IDPs in Maiduguri, was one of sadness and then of hope, said: “We need to help girls across this country from all walks of life, not only in crisis.
“They need the opportunity to grow up safe and healthy, free from violence and abuse. They need the chance to be educated, to make decisions for themselves about their destinies, what they want to do in life, who they want to love, how they will live and what they will believe,” he said.
Commending Ijeoma Okorie – convener of the event, Young said Okorie who participated in the 2014 Mandela Washington Fellowship has demonstrated in practical terms that when you educate a woman, you teach a whole community.
Okorie who is also the founder of Teenz Global Foundation and advocate for the education of girls said the progress of girls in society is not only for girls, but also for families and communities.
She said: “Much more can be done to ensure that programmes, policies and services are made to respond to the specific needs of girls. If we must change the status quo, let’s live the change we want. Let’s take up the responsibility to speak for the girls and young women, whose voices cannot be heard.”
Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika who spoke on ‘Equal Representation of Women in both private and public section in Africa,’ at the event, said it didn’t matter if the space was public or private.
She said: “It is about having enough women who have the capacity to occupy positions in offices, who find themselves in those places. It’s about being strategic with developing the women to have the skills that them at the table.”
Awosika said it’s important to encourage every girl child to have the right kind of education. It’s also important to encourage them to pursue the area of their strength and interest.
While encouraging the women folk to place their priorities and values right, the business magnate and motivational speaker said: “I don’t buy into the school of give a woman an office because she’s a woman. If she messes it up, she creates more problems for the women who can do the job. Don’t think you should have it because you are a girl and don’t play the girl card because it makes you unprepared.”
