Group Urges End To Child Marriage In Nigeria

Girls and Youth Re-integration Network (GYRIN), a Non-Governmental Organisation, has urged Nigerians to give priority attention to ending early marriage and promote girl child education. Miss Kehinde Awujoola, founder of the NGO, made the call in an interview with Newsmen in Abuja on Thursday. Awujoola described girls as engines of national development and stressed the need to promote girl child education to prepare them for a better future. She said that educating a girl child was the best way to stand up for her progress. She also identified child marriage as one of the major hindrances to girl child development in Nigeria. According to her, culture, religion, tradition, poverty and illiteracy, among other factors, have prevented the girl child from attaining her full potential. “This early marriage leads to early pregnancies and pose serious health risks to girls, whose bodies may not be developed enough for motherhood.” She, therefore, urged relevant stakeholders and the global community to strengthen and support girl child progress in Nigeria. “Some even believe the abuse is normal and can be justified; they think that if the economy is hard or his income has failed, and he is frustrated, he can pour his anger on her. “One of the victims of violence in marriage said she allowed her husband to be violent against her because he does not have any job. Where is he going to get his frustration out?’’ she asked.