*advocates promotion of nutrition
By; ALEX UANGBAOJE, Kaduna
Kaduna State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina Mohammed-Baloni, has described the girl-child as the most precious social asset of a society and any nation, while also advocating the promotion of food and nutrition among them.
Dr. Amina, said this on Tuesday, at a press briefing to herald the commemoration of the 2022, International Day of the Girl-Child with the theme “The Time is Now, Her Future, Her Right” in the State, organized by the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria Project (ANRiN), a World Bank assisted project.
According to her, “it is imperative that we increase attention on issues that matter to our girls and to leverage on their potential as future leaders and change makers, to create opportunities for them to thrive and their voices to be
heard.
“This we can achieve through promoting girl-child education and increased access to food and nutrition, especially in their formative years.
“Often times, we assume that the digital age has solved all the problems of our society and we forget the less privileged and others who live in the fringes of our and opportunities, and we must do everything we can to close the gaps – especially for girls that fall in the lower ladders of being discriminated even in their homes.
“In view of the above and given the prominence given to adolescent health and nutrition by the ANRIN Project and all other Nutrition Partners, this event will go a long way in enhancing their knowledge on good nutrition practices that will expectedly prepare them for a lifetime. The objective is to catch them young and deepen their understanding of the concept of Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) practices towards better health and nutrition outcomes”.
She noted that from inception, the girl-child is already viewed as a prospective mother and nation builder and must therefore should be nurtured and protected always.
“Access to good food and nutrition is fundamental for all, especially the girl-child who requires it to achieve her full potential as a reproductive agent needed to perpetuate life.
“Under-nutrition negatively affects adolescent girls by: affecting their ability to learn and work at maximum productivity; increasing their risk of poor obstetric outcomes
“Arresting their healthy development and future children; affecting their sexual maturation and growth: and preventing the attainment of normal bone strength and the development of healthy teeth if they do not get enough calcium”. The Commissioner added.
She enumerated what she called key development challenges facing the girl-child today, which includes; discrimination in access to education, discrimination in access to food and nutrition.
“Being used as burden bearers for household chores and farm work, early marriage, which interferes with their education or acquisition of skills needed
for survival.
“Sexual abuse and other forms of gender-based violence, each one of these challenges is a terrible menace on its own with the potential of bringing down a society in all its ramifications. These challenges occur as a result of cultural, religious, political and social belief systems in our society”. She explained.
She therefore, called on government and all stakeholders to come together to address the issues with a view to sustaining the growth and development of adolescents by ensuring that no one is left behind, adding that “adolescents represent a fulcrum of our society upon which the vibrancy of any community revolves. They are jewels that should be valued and treasured for the future of the society depends greatly on them”.
