By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Chairperson of the Imo State Chapter of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Dr (Mrs) Dorothy Nnaji has declared that it is now time to exercise the rights of girls to a better future devoid of discrimination, limitations and denials.
The Imo State NAWOJ Chairperson stated this during the 2022 International Day of the Girl-child, held at Christian International High School, Owerri, organized by the Imo state NAWOJ, in collaboration with National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), and Golden Hope Foundation.
Addressing the students on the theme of the global celebration in honour of the girl-child, ” Time is now, our right, our future”, she stressed the importance of the right to a better future for the girl-child in a world full of bias and discrimination against the female gender .
The Imo state NAWOJ Chairperson maintained that the United Nations instituted October 11 as the international day of the girl-child in 2012, and that 2022 was the 10th year anniversary and that NAWOJ has intensified its efforts in collaboration with sister agencies to championing the cause and protection of the rights of women and girls in the various communities to ensure that they are not left out in the scheme of things.
Dr Mrs Nnaji pointed out that the objective of this year’s theme was to deepen the understanding that the time has come now to exercise the rights of girls to a better future devoid of discrimination, limitations and denials, assuring the girls that they are not inferior or second class to their male counterparts in any way whether intellectually, academically, professionally or otherwise.
Emphasizing on the need to ensure fair and level playing ground for both male and female children at all times in all fields of endeavour,
the NAWOJ Chairperson during interaction with the students, taught them the 5Ws and 1H, as derived from Journalism, and 6Ps of life, meaning , Who am l?, What do l want to be? Why do l want this ? When do l achieve this, Where and How do I achieve this? The 6Ps, meaning , Priorities prepared, planned, will prevent poor performance.
The Coordinator of Golden Hope Foundation, Mr. Chris Uzoegbu while speaking stressed the importance of promoting rights of the girl-child to education ,access to health care and inclusiveness in decision making process among other rights, saying, his Foundation has been at the forefront of championing the cause of girl-child and provision of medical care to them particularly the indigent ones.
The Imo State Coordinator, National Human Rights Commission NHRC, Mrs Ukachi Uka, during her interaction with the girls said the time has come for them to know their rights so that it will propel them into their future.
Mrs Uka stressed that their fundamental human rights were the entitlements, claims and freedom which nobody can take away from them as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal republic of Nigeria , chapters 2 and 4 which included right to life, education, fair hearing,right to survival and development, privacy among others which should not be infringed upon
She however warned that exercising their fundamental human rights should not be an avenue for disobedience to parents ,teachers or any authority.
At the end of the occasion, one of the students, Miss Kelechi Emerald, a JSS 3 student appreciated NAWOJ, Golden Hope Foundation and NHRC, for the teachings and interactive sessions, and expressed desire that more of such events would be organized for them.
Highpoint of the event was sharing of gift packs to the participants.
