By Eseoghene Emuke
As part of activities to mark the International Day for the Girl Child, a non-governmental organization (NGO), Graced for Active Progress Empowerment Initiative in Nigeria, has called on stakeholders, including parents, to give necessary support to female victims of kidnapping, rape and other sexual molestations.
The founder, Dr. Grace John-Ugwuanya, made the call while celebrating the day with young girls and women at the Kaduna State University (KASU), Kaduna.
The NGO, which organized a summit tagged ‘Glow With Grace’ to commemorate the day, noted the difficulty living with such stigma entails and warned that being quick to condemn victims may affect their self-esteem.
Speaking with newsmen, John-Ugwuanya explained the need to raise a new generation of women with strong drive for excellence.
She posited that the widely reported cases of rape and other sexual crimes have revealed the depth and seriousness of the issue.
“Previously, we talked about those who live a promiscuous lifestyle; but how do you explain a one-month old baby who is being raped by a 50 years old man? What about the serial killing of girls who are raped and dumped? We are quick to say, ‘she is a runs-girl.’ But we have also had innocent girls who have been kidnapped, raped and killed.
“Those who survived often live with the stigma and unpleasant thoughts about the experience.
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“This is where we need the cooperation and support of parents and guardians because some of these girls cannot even confide in anyone out of fear of being judged or discriminated upon”, she said.
Emphasizing the goal of the NGO to pursue the rights of women in the society, the founder stated, “how far a woman excels in life depends on her mental state.
“We seek to raise whole women and it begins from today. The Glow With Grace Summit will also put in place a mentorship platform that will transcend beyond today as we seek to instill the principles that will be like a guidepost in the course of our unique journey.”
Further commending the Kaduna state government under the El-Rufai administration for the good representation of women in his cabinet, she expressed hope that the such will cut across other states and federal government.
She said to achieve this, the NGO is canvassing against early marriage, as well as education for the girl-chlid.
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“We are pressing for a fast decline in child marriage because it stagnates the girl-child from pursuing her education while her male counterpart is progressing. In the long run, she doesn’t develop her mental capacity, seek relevance in the society, not to mention the associated health risks with child-marriage.
“Let us not forget about low self-esteem that has plagued many girls due to gender-based violence and other unpleasant circumstances that they may have been exposed to.
“Remember, a girl who does not believe in herself and has no confidence in her abilities, will transit into a woman who believes that she does not deserve the best. That is not the new crop of girls and women that we want to raise in this technology-driven era.
“We need women who are skilled in software engineering, aviation, medical research, artificial intelligence and relevant soft skills that will enable them to be integrated fully in today’s digital society,” John-Ugwuanya stressed.
