Nigeria records Over 23 million child marriages recorded – CSO

A new report from Save the Children International (SCI) Nigeria, reveals that Nigeria with a population of 218 million has 23 million child marriages, with two in every five women married as children.

Child Marriage is also a consequence of adolescent pregnancy which is associated to maternal mortality, poor education, illiteracy and intergenerational poverty.

The threat to girls rights and gender equality requires multisectoral approach that engage health experts, education, justice and child protection, if child marriage must be addressed.

Measures addressing child marriage in Nigeria
In recognition of this need, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye had taken several measures and recently launched a mobile court where violators of child rights are tried and prosecuted.

Several advocacy group have championed girls right in their various capacity aimed at ending some of the abuses against children.

Save the Children International (SCI), one of the advocacy group had called for more budgetary allocation to end child Marriage in Nigeria, this is because their recent report which shows a total of 23 million child marriage was alarming and needed urgent step to reduce the rate.

Part of the measures taken by SCI was to launch the report on budgeting to end child marriage in Nigeria, which was on Friday unveiled by the minister of women affairs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye.

Nigerian governors approve mobile courts
At the unveiling ceremony, the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, said the Nigerian Governors’ Forum has approved a mobile court to address the issues regarding children which was her initiative.

The mobile courts are specifically designed to handle cases related to sexual and gender-based violence, child abuse in the form of street begging, and expedited trial of women and children held in Correctional facilities.

The minister also emphasised on empowering the capacity of the first lady of each state in Nigeria to champion the fight against early marriage and SGBV.

SCI Interim Country Director, Faton Krasniqi, said budgeting on any child rights agenda remains an important step towards delivering on what the government has pledged to do to protect and respect child rights.

Krasniqi who was represented by the Director of Advocacy, Campaigns, Communication and Media, Amanuel Mamo, lamented that child marriage and forced marriage robs the girl child of her potential of any

Speaking on behalf of the Children Parliament Imo State Chapter, Shamiga Rita called for more awareness programmes at the grassroots, homes, schools and churches to enlighten parents especially on the need to educate the girl child.