Data helps women, girls in planning – Minister
NAN-H-75
Planning
By Olasunkanmi Onifade Abuja
, Feb. 16, 2017 (NAN) The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Aisha Alhassan, on Thursday said adequate statistical data would enhance planning for the girl child and women in the country.
Alhassan said this during the third edition of the Women and Girls summit in Abuja, tagged “Putting the Girl child at the heart of National development”.
According to her, the girl child represents the next generation and is evidence of continuation of the cycle of life.
“I have observed that without data, we cannot talk of milestones as we would lack the evidence to drive effective policy.
“Without data our planning process would be defective, our policy goals would be comprised and our implementation level would be difficult to measure as we would lack the bench mark to guide effective work.’’
Alhassan said the girl faces several untold hardships and violence, exploitation and deprivation which are experienced through practices such as early marriage, hawking, sexual abuse, uneven distribution of household chores, poverty ,boy child preference and biases against the girl child.
She said an empowered girl child would contribute to sustainable development, adding that young women and girls are always found to be very resourceful and committed to embracing new ways of improving their lives.
“Evidence has shown that when young are able to earn and control income which others will benefit.
“By directing a larger portion of their earnings to family needs, they become the key to ending hunger and poverty in their families.
“The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is not resting on its oars in the fulfillment of its campaign promises and meeting its obligation to the Nigerian women and girls as well as achieving the SDG’s targets,”Alhassan said.
The principal investigator of the Performance Monitoring and Accountability 2020 (PMA2020), Mrs Felicia Omoluabi, urged government to implement the national family planning blueprint and recognise investment in reproductive health.
“When girls are free to define their lives and enjoy their rights, they not only better health and healthier children, they are also better able to continue to their communities and country.
“Preventive and protective investment in girls will enable us all be part of the world where girls are treated with the same dignity and respect as boys,” she said.
Omoluabi said PMA2020 is currently tracking eight of the SDGs priority indicators to assist government and partners to make the SDGs work for the girl child.
The Director-General, National Centre for Women Development, Malam Sadeeq Omar, said the summit was to draw the attention of policy makers to the create issues affecting women and girls.
“Girls have the right to a safe, educated, healthy life, not only during their critical formative years but also as they mature into women.
“If effectively supported during their early years have potential to change the World, both as the empowered girls today and as tomorrow’s workers, mothers, entrepreneurs, mentors and political leaders,” he said. (NAN) OEO/MST Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola