Girl child day: Digital inclusion of girls apt for rapid development – ReCHDI boss
Chima Azubuike
Executive Director, Responsible Citizenship and Human Development Initiative (ReCHDI), Dudu Manuga, has said the inclusion of Information and Communication Technology, in the training of girl child would yield development, adding that rape and other violent cases would be reduced.
Manuga made this disclosure on Monday, during the commemoration of 2021 International day of the girl child with the theme: Digital generation, our generation at Government Day Secondary School Shongo Idrissa, Akko local government area of the state.
The day is set aside globally to celebrate the girl child, by harping support and presenting the current challenges affecting the gender within the communities.
She said, “With ICT comes knowledge, Someone can be alerted, flags can be raised and victims can send a message indicating that they are in danger to get the necessary assistance. Except one moves with the light of digitization one will be left behind because there is no profession now that is not impacted by digitization. Research has shown that the gap between the male and female on digitization is so wide.
“When the VAP law is finally passed in Gombe State, there will be provision for us to have a register of sex offenders that means anyone who has been convicted of sexual offence, his or her name will shared within the locality with pictures.”
The sensitization had students receiving reusable pads as gifts, organised by Responsible Citizenship and Human Development Initiative (ReCHDI), in collaboration with Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), to enlighten girls on the importance of utilizing the digital age to curb all forms of abuse and to mitigate the existing gulf affecting the attainment of knowledge especially the girl child.
Manuga lauded the efforts of those she described as ‘pad angels’, whom she said have supported the free distribution of sanitary pads to secondary schools across the state.
She added, “I will like to encourage our politicians because this is a good way of touching life positively, to support this initiative in providing reusable pads to more students. Right now we are almost running out of the stock. In each pack there are three pieces. We started something recently known as fathers for daughters to help young girls maintain menstrual hygiene. The SSG, Prof. Ibrahim Njodi is heading the team of fathers and we truly appreciate him and many others who may want to partner with us.”
On her part, Comfort Mukollo, Chairperson of NAWOJ, said the group was in the school to encourage young girls on the need to be digitally compliant.
She said, “We call on government to support this school, and other girls secondary schools in the state with Information and Communication Technology. We used the opportunity to highlight other issues like gender based violence, menstrual hygiene thereby distributing this to all of them free of charge.
“As NAWOJ, we want to see a society where girls have voice, where they are digitally driven, ICT compliant.”
Also speaking, Director Social Development, Child person for Gender Based Violence (GBV), in Gombe State Ministry of Women Affairs, Asabe Malami revealed that no fewer than one case is reported in a week.
According to Malami, the use of digital procedures would help reduce the incidences of violence, stressing that once victims are compliant reporting cases would become easier.
She said, “As you are aware there is serious gap between male and female children interms of sciences especially in the issue of computer you find out that the girls are not compliant.
“Once girls are digitally inclined violence would be cancelled and they will be in tune with what the world is all about. Silence is a serious problem and we want to cut it off, with the use of gadgets like phones we can be called to their rescue. Many of them are suffering in silence. But they can become whistle blower by reporting cases of GBV.
“The members of the house are seriously working hard to see that they pass the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act. Violence has become a problem as you know Gombe is second highest in the whole country, Virtually a week do not pass without having a case of Sexual Gender Based Violence in Gombe State.”
Appreciating the gesture of the group, for singling out her school to commemorate the day, Vice Principal, Ballin Shuaibu revealed that her students learn computer without practical session.
Shuaibu said, “The students learn the computer orally, there is no computer. We don’t even have one.
“We want to thank you, and may God guide and direct you, we know we are going to have the computer through you people.”
