Hey! How should we really celebrate the girl child?
Every year on October 11, countries across the world commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child. But beyond the speeches, events and social media campaigns, have we stopped to ask ourselves: Are we truly protecting the girl child, or are we simply celebrating her in words while failing her in reality?
The girl child is not just a gender. She is a human being with rights, dignity, dreams and enormous potential. So, how should we really celebrate her?
ONE, WE CELEBRATE HER BY PROTECTING HER.
Protecting her from the very people she has been taught to trust. Friends, relatives, guardians and family members who take advantage of her innocence and vulnerability.
Again and again, we hear stories of children abused by people entrusted with their care. A parent leaves a child with a trusted relative or friend, only for that trust to be betrayed.
We must break this cycle! Let us teach boundaries. Let us stop normalising inappropriate comments, touching and kissing that violate a child’s personal space, and stop excusing such behaviour with the words, “We were only playing.”
No child should have to suffer abuse at the hands of someone entrusted with her care.
TWO, WE CELEBRATE HER BY EDUCATING AND EMPOWERING HER.
A girl deserves to be in the classroom, not forced out of school because she is female. She deserves the opportunity to learn, discover her talents and pursue her dreams.
Let us stop telling girls that their only purpose is marriage and motherhood. Let us give them equal opportunities in education, science, technology, business, sports and leadership.
We must also build their confidence and teach them to understand their worth, recognise unhealthy relationships and stand up for their rights.
When we educate and empower a girl, we give her the tools to shape her own future.
THREE, WE CELEBRATE HER BY LISTENING TO HER AND PROTECTING HER DIGNITY.
How many times have we dismissed a girl who tried to speak up? How many times have we silenced her because the person she reported was a relative, a respected leader or someone we trusted?
We must create safe spaces where girls can speak without fear. When a girl reports abuse, listen to her, take her seriously and take appropriate steps to protect her.
We must also protect her health and dignity by challenging child marriage, female genital mutilation, gender-based violence and other harmful practices.
No family reputation is more important than a child’s safety, and no tradition should be used to justify the abuse of a girl child.
FOUR, WE CELEBRATE HER BY HOLDING ABUSERS ACCOUNTABLE AND CREATING OPPORTUNITIES.
It is not enough to tell girls to be careful while allowing those who harm them to escape accountability.
We must report abuse, support survivors, strengthen child-protection systems and ensure that allegations are properly investigated.
At the same time, we must create opportunities for girls to participate in decision-making, leadership and every field where their talents can make a difference.
A girl’s future should not be limited by her gender, and her safety should never depend on who she knows or where she comes from.
We must move beyond telling girls to be strong and start building a society that keeps them safe.
Yes, the International Day of the Girl Child, celebrated every year on October 11, may be over, but let us remember that the true measure of our celebration is the number of girls we protect, the opportunities we create, the voices we amplify, the harmful practices we challenge and the lives we help transform.
Let us not merely celebrate the girl child on one special day. Let us protect, respect and empower her every day.
Ubong Usoro for Nigeria Magazine.
