Girl-Led Action Group Calls on Jigawa State TWG on Ending Child Marriage for Urgent Actions

By Ali Rabiu Ali Jigawa

The Girl-Led Action Group, working under Baba Azimi Foundation with support from ActionAid Nigeria, paid an advocacy to the State Technical Working Group on Ending Child Marriage to advocate for stronger policies to reduce child marriage across the state.

During the visit, Nana Khadija a member of the group, presented key issues faced by teenage girls in the society which the girls found during a research that they conducted in 2024 that include lack of educational opportunities and access to resources. She highlighted the dangers of early marriage and the need for collective action to address this issue. 

Other girls in the group highlighted other impacts of early marriage on adolescent girls which include health and mental issues, falling into a cycle of poverty, high risks to violence and abuse. Other girls made a passionate plea to the TWG on Ending Child Marriage for massive sensitization activities to parents to allow their daughters to have an education and be economically empowered before they are married as this will make the girls to be able to support themselves, their families, husbands and children in the long term.

The Chairperson of the State Working Group on Ending Child Marriage, Hajia Hauwa Zakar commended the efforts of the Girl-Led Action Group. She assured that the TWG will include the girls in their efforts to enlighten the society on the dangers of early child marriage.

Khalid Muhammad, the Secretary of the State Working Group, emphasized that the state working group is committed to educating people on the dangers of early child marriage and is currently working with communities with about 200 girls in partnership with UNICEF building the capacities of the girls in vocational training, life skills and home management so that they will be better equipped in the home front when they are eventually married and not face the issues identified above.

The Girl-Led Action Group's visit is a significant step towards ending child marriage in Jigawa State. By working together, both groups can create awareness and promote behavioral change to protect the rights of adolescent girls.