24th July, 2017
A Benue-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), House of Hilkiah Foundation, says educating the girl-child is a veritable tool that can help to minimise gender-based violence in the country.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Miss Dorothy Akende, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Makurdi.
He, therefore, urged the three tiers of government to focus more on girl-child education.
Akende said that the group had been involved in advocacy, encouraging communities to educate the girl child through its humanitarian services and education initiatives.
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The founder of the NGO added that aside from supporting education initiatives, the group had continued to fight retrogressive cultural practices on the girl child in the country.
She further said that giving quality education to the girl child would go a long way to empower her economically to be responsible for herself and family.
She advised against early marriage, saying that such practice exposed the girl child to more dangers.
Akende urged all communities in Benue and in the country at large to continue to speak against gender inequality and violence against the girl child, widows and women in general.