Our executive director, Moyinoluwa Ogundowole recently attended a stakeholder forum on norms and practices affecting Girl Child Education in Ekiti State, led by Balm in Gilead Foundation for Sustainable Development – BIGIF with the support of the World Bank under Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project.

The event was enlightening, informative, and thought-provoking. The event brought together various stakeholders, including educators, policymakers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and Ministries, Departments Agencies (MDAs) to discuss norms and practices affecting Girl Child Education in Ekiti State and identify possible solutions.

Her Excellency, Ekiti State First Lady Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji representative presented a paper on Factors Limiting Girl-Child Education, and recommended possible solutions.

She contributed to the Focus Group Discussion with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on Factors Limiting Girl-child Education in Ekiti State.

She submitted, there are several factors that limit girl child education in Ekiti state. Some of these factors include: Menstruation, Early child marriage, Cultural beliefs and gender stereotypes, Gender-based violence amongst others.

To address these factors and promote girl child education in Ekiti state, there needs to be a concerted effort by the government, civil society organizations, policymakers and communities to invest in education, especially for girls. This can include building more schools, providing scholarships for girls to attend school, creating a pad bank in schools, implementing gender-based violence laws and raising awareness about the importance of educating girls.

In conclusion, investing in girls’ education, we can create a more just and equitable world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. When we “train a girl child, we train the world” and pave the way for a brighter future for all.

18th April, 2023.