By Godwin Ajom
The Obong of Calabar, His Eminence, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V, has called for female inclusion and raised concerns on the unabated cases of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the state.
The Obong of Calabar, the state government and United Nations Women Organization, while addressing both state and non state actors in a community engagement following the recent commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child, also lamented the number of out of school children. Terming it unacceptable.
Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V, averred that female genital mutilation and other harmful traditional practices against the girl child must stop.
The Treaty King noted that the future of the girl child is beyond the status of the kitchen and attaining the status of the house wife.
He affirmed that: “I see our girls in boardrooms in the near future, running companies, contesting for political offices and occupying the corridors of power, launching innovative technologies and much more.
“I’m not advocating on the basis of gender or in an attempt to promote gender equality, but to rather meritoriously based on their abilities and qualification; I believe whatever a man is qualify to do, there’s a woman who’s equally qualified and can do the job too, so why not give our women more opportunities to serve?”
“However, we must all come together to ensure that our girls are guided, given opportunities, and access to what they need and very importantly, educated. For us as traditional rulers, we have more specific roles to play; in reorientation, representation, and guidance of our people; Issues like female genital mutilation and other harmful traditional practices on the girl child must be stopped. Indeed, just as we succeeded in ending the killing of twins and other practices by our forebears, these too shall pass. My kingdom remains committed to ensuring protection, growth and good opportunities for the girl child.”
The wife of the State Governor, Mrs. Enyoanwan Bassey Otu, represented by her Senior Special Assistant on Gender Mainstreaming, Dr. Inyang Archibong, decried the recent reports of out of school girls across the country.
The former Commissioner for Health in the State explained that, “The Cross River State Governor’s wife has been going round teaching secondary school children Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The program is targeted particularly at girls in secondary schools across the state. About 8,000 girls have benefited from the program already.”
Mrs. Beatrice Eyong, UN-Women representative, represented by Mrs. Kenechukwu Asuku, a gender policy expert from UN-Women called for an enabling environment for the girl child: “We must remember that girls have to have the capacity to dream, and to bring those dreams to reality.
“We all must come together to ensure that every girl is able to dream and achieve. As girls, you need hard work and you must be able to put in the work to get to the top. Please, let our leaders help our girls to achieve these great dreams, provide a safe environment for the girls, not early marriage.”
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