A member of the Delta State Child Rights Implementation Committee and child protection activist, Comrade Patrick Ochei, has suggested to the government at all levels to formulate policies geared towards conscious moral lessons, sex education and entrepreneurship training as part of the education policy for the Girl-Child in the society.
The ex- Delta NUJ scribe is promoting this advocacy amidst the challenges faced by girl children when they are not morally sound to handle some pressures associated with female development in today’s society, revealing that irresponsible men are always on the prowl looking for girl children to devour.
Leveraging on the celebration of the International Day of the Girl-Child, he said by putting the girls through moral lessons, sex education and entrepreneurship training consciously and early in life, the tendencies of being better informed about life, its prospects and challenges would be high.
The journalist further affirmed that when girls are brought up on high moral standards where they know the dangers of early sex and giving-in to sexual pressures by peers, including being productively engaged in skills alongside their formal education, they tend to be strong enough to withstand pressures of social vices and moral decadence that tend to derail them in life.
Ochei recounted that indecent dressing, craze for money, clubbing and reckless lifestyle generally are gradually taking over the girl children as beautiful creatures of God, insisting that except something urgent is done by government and faith based organizations, the trend would go on unabated.
Additionally, Ochei advised that “The Girl-Child must be vocal and cultivate the culture of speaking out when molested by irresponsible men in the society. The female gender is naturally a prey to men, not to talk about girl children who are most times vulnerable and can easily succumb to intimidation, especially after being abused.
“Parents must help in this circumstance by ensuring that their girl children know about sex early in life. They must be taught how to protect themselves against sexual harassment and scream for help where necessary.
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“In all of these, there must be a conscious policy of the government to protect the Girl-Child. A lot of people are getting off the hook after breaking the Child Rights law. There must be justice for the Girl-Child who is abused and the law must always punish offenders of the law no matter their status in the society.
“In this regard, I appeal to the Delta State House of Assembly to expedite action on the Child Rights Amendment Bill, 2024, to further strengthen it to meet up with the current realities in dealing with issues of child protection. The federal government must also look into areas of the Child Rights Act of 2003 that need strengthening for optimal protection of the Girl-Child.
“I strongly believe that the way we handle the Girl-Child in Nigerian society would definitely play a huge role in how we curtail future crimes and criminalities. This is because, from the girl you have a woman who eventually becomes the trainer of both the male and the female leaders in the society. When a Girl-Child blossoms into a proper woman and decent mother, she would parent responsible leaders that are capable of managing the affairs of our nation. Proper womanhood is all about responsible nationhood”, Ochei posited.
