The newly designated UNESCO ‘ambassadors’ for the FCT and Rivers state, have stressed the need for the three tiers of government in Nigeria to give priority to the education of the girl-child and women.
They made the statement on Thursday at the UNESCO office in Abuja while briefing newsmen after their conferment as UNESCO ambassadors.
They contended that militancy, poverty and other vices in the society would reduce if governments and other stakeholders pay adequate attention to the education of women.
The ambassadors, Dr Fatima Abdulrahman from the FCT and Deaconess Patience Horsefall-Obizor from Rivers, insisted that educating women would have positive influence on children.
UNESCO in collaboration with Procter and Gamble, a pharmaceutical company and the three tiers of government in Nigeria, jointly funded the education of girl-child and women project.
The project, called UNESCO-Always for the Education of Girls and Women in Nigeria, had ensured the empowerment of over 60,000 girls and women in the country by utilising ICT to develop their literacy and skills.
Horsefall-Obizor noted that if mothers are not properly educated, they would not be able to guide their children correctly.
“The hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world. Focusing on the education of the girl-child is very important as women are the ones who raise the children,’’ she said.
“Girls are more vulnerable members of the society and it is more difficult for them whenever there is crisis.
“Formal and informal education will help them to contribute their quota towards societal development,’’ he said.
Dr Saidou Jallow, the Senior Education Specialist, UNESCO Regional Office, Abuja, urged the ambassadors to use their goodwill to influence governments and other stakeholders on the need to educate the girl child and women.
He stressed the need to constantly remind governments of their responsibilities to educate the girl-child and women.
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