Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, has asked her successor to ensure that pregnant girls are not sent out of school, adding that education is key to empowering girls.
Tallen gave the advice at a panel discussion on the sideline of an event organised by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs on Friday in New York. The event was in collaboration with the World Bank as part of the 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women.
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The two-week programme, which started on Monday, focused on innovation and technological change education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the panel discussion led by the minister, spoke to the theme ‘Leveraging innovative approaches to drive empowerment and education outcomes for Nigerian women and girls’.
The event marked Tallen’s last attendance as a minister. She stressed that no girl should be left behind for Nigeria to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal five, which is on gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls by 2030.
She stated,
Economic empowerment is education; not just education of the girl child, but even the second chance education for young girls that got pregnant while in school. They are sent away from school leaving the culprit (boy). She didn’t get pregnant alone but the person that got her pregnant will be allowed to go to school.
No girl should be sent away from school because she’s pregnant. If she is sent away from school, the boy should also be sent away from school. She should be allowed back after having the baby and to continue her education.
Tallen added that such girls were already going through a lot and that some were sent away from home by their parents because of anger.
She said she had to adopt some of the girls and support them to give them a future. She expressed happiness that some of them had been able to fulfill their dreams in life.
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The Minister added,
Education of the girl child is important, and we must always support the girl child. The child belongs to all; it must not be your child. It must not be somebody you know. Any girl that falls victim to such an unfortunate situation should be supported.
She appealed to gender desk officers across the various ministries to be more effective in their tasks.
Also speaking, Mrs Bisi Fayemi, former Chairman of Nigerian Governors Wives Forum, said there was a need to address challenges women face.
The Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Nigeria in Washington, Ambassador Mobolaji Ogundero, solicited the support of the international community to implement some of the commitments Nigeria had signed.
The report quoted the United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Ms Alice Nderitu, as urging women to own their narrative.
It said pregnancy was identified as one of the primary barriers to girls’ education.
