The Senate has asked the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on the protection and welfare of the girl-child to address the educational, health, and safety needs of girls across the country.
The upper chamber also urged state governments to domesticate and enforce the Child Rights Act and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, with a focus on eradicating harmful traditional practices like female genital mutilation.
These resolutions followed a motion raised by Senator Ireti Kingibe on the plight of the Nigerian girl child and the urgent need for intervention by the Federal Government to save the future of Nigerian girls.
Ireti expressed concern that girl-child marriage remains prevalent across Nigeria, with the northern zones showing alarming statistics. She notes that according to the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), over 44 percent of girls are married before age 18, with high percentages in states like Zamfara, Bauchi, and Sokoto.
A significant number of Senators expressed their support for the motion, two days ahead of the International Day of the Girl Child, which is observed on October 11 every year.