Women’s Affairs Minister Pauline Tallen has advised her new minister not to expel pregnant female students from school.
Education, she said, is the key to empowering girls.
Tarren gave the advice during a panel discussion at an event hosted by the Federal Department of Women’s Affairs in New York on Friday.
The event was co-organized with the World Bank around the 67th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67).
The two-week CSW67 session, which began on Monday, focused on educating on digital-age innovation and technological change to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.
A panel discussion chaired by the Minister covered the theme of “Using Innovative Approaches to Advance the Empowerment and Educational Outcomes of Women and Girls in Nigeria”.
Ms Taren, who attended her last CSW as a cabinet minister, demanded that no girl should be left behind as President Muhammadu Buhari’s term ends on May 29.
She said no girl should be left behind in Nigeria to reach the 5th Sustainable Development Goal on gender equality by 2030 and empower all women and girls. rice field.
“Economic empowerment is education,” she said.
“They leave the perpetrator (the boy) and get kicked out of school. She didn’t get pregnant alone, but the person who impregnated her can go to school.”
“She shouldn’t be kicked out of school because she’s pregnant. If she is kicked out of school, the boys should be kicked out of school too.
“She should be allowed to return home with her education after giving birth,” the minister said.
According to her, they have been through a lot and some have even been kicked out of their homes by their parents out of anger.
Tarren said she needed to adopt some of the girls and help them to give them a future, and was happy that some of them were able to fulfill their life dreams and ambitions. I was.
“So the education of girls is important and we must always support them. Children belong to everyone, they should not be yours.
“Not someone you know. Any girl who falls victim to an unfortunate situation like this should be supported. The minister advised the new minister to ensure the economic empowerment of girls and women and to continue the ministry’s programs.
“I also appeal to gender officers in various ministries to work more effectively.
“All ministries, such as the Ministry of Environment, have gender services. When we talk about climate change, the focus is on women and we have been working closely with the ministries on this.
“I urge all ministry clerks to be more proactive,” she said.
Bisi Fayemi, former chairman of the Nigerian Governor’s Wives Forum, also said the challenges facing women need to be addressed.
Economic empowerment, she said, would do no good if she was beaten to death by her husband. Ms Fayemi said strong will and political commitment are needed to implement all the agreements Nigeria has signed on women’s empowerment.
