Female commissioners in Kaduna State have called on the government and other partners to consider girls first in the development plans, especially in the areas of education, health and nutritional well-being.
The Commissioner, Kaduna State Ministry of Health, Dr. Amina Mohammed-Baloni, while addressing a press conference to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child on Tuesday in Kaduna said under-nutrition affects adolescent girls’ ability to work at maximum productivity.
She spoke on behalf of her counterparts in the Ministry of Education as well as Ministry of Budget and Planning, Hajiya Halima Lawal and Hajiya Umma Aboki respectively.
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She said, “The key development challenges facing girls include discrimination in access to education, food and nutrition being used as burden bearer for households chores and farm work, early marriage and sexual abuse and other forms of gender-based violence.
“Each one of these challenges is a terrible menace on its own with potential of bringing down society in all its ramifications. These challenges occur as a result of cultural, religious, political and social belief system. Consequently, we must do all we can to curb them.”
She stressed that feeding the girls, especially the adolescent is a God-given right as the girl-child is a most precious social asset to the society and the nation at large.
“Government and indeed all stakeholders must come together to address the issue to sustain the growth and development of our aadolescents by ensuring that no one is left behind,” she added.
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