Minister urges parents to prioritise girl-child education

The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen has urged parents to prioritise girl-child education to reduce the vulnerability of women to social vices, particularly gender-based violence such as rape.

The minister made the call on Monday in Abuja at the media and stakeholders dialogue to commemorate her one year stewardship as the Minister of Women Affairs.

She said that giving the girl-child quality education would help to reduce the vulnerability of women to social vices, particularly the gender-based violence associated with the female sex.

Tallen also called on state governors, who were yet to domesticate the 2015 Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP) and the Child Right Act, to do so to help protect the right of women.

According to her, giving the girl-child the right education and putting the necessary Act in place to protect the female folks will help them to assume the right positions in the society.

She, however, appreciated the Kwara governor and his Lagos counterpart, who appointed a lot of women in their cabinet as commissioners as example of her desire for women to occupy important positions in the society.

“My desire in this ministry is to leave a legacy of an ambassador against gender violence; therefore, our successes are guided by the need to take urgent steps to mitigate the effect of unsustainable patterns of development.

“As we gather to reminisce on the past one year, we are not unmindful that we still have a long road to travel, reengineer the architectural landscape of the ministry to address issues,” she said.

Tallen thanked the leadership of the 9th National Assembly for the support President Muhammadu Buhari led-administration had gotten from it, saying that no administration had received the kind of support in the history of Nigeria.|

She also appreciated all stakeholders and Civil Society Organisations, who had been a huge support for the success of the ministry in the last one year of her assumption as the minister.

Erelu Bisi Fayemi, wife of Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, who spoke through the virtual zoom meeting, pledged her continued support to the minister, especially in the area of gender-based violence.

Mrs Sani Kajo, who represented the President’s wife, Hajia Aisha Buhari, urged the minister to be steadfast in her work in the ministry and leave a legacy that would better the lives of Nigerian women.

“We have witnessed your strong passion on women issues, we urged you to be steadfast in your job to better the lives of women and we look forward to your collaboration in future toward the sustainable development goals.

“Gender equality is our target, we believe you will live a legacy that every woman will be proud of,” she said.