Bauchi Ministry of Women Affairs commemorates 2026 International Day of the Girl Child
By Aisha Sani Jibrin
The Bauchi State Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Development has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the rights of the girl child, promoting access to education and ending child marriage.
The ministry made the commitment during the commemoration of the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child, held at the Education Resource Centre, with the theme, “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights.”
In her opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Hajiya Talatu Musa, who represented the Commissioner, Hon. Dr. Lydia Haruna Tsammani, said the United Nations established the International Day of the Girl Child in 2011 to promote girls’ rights and draw global attention to the challenges affecting their development.
She identified child marriage, discrimination, limited access to education, sexual violence, harmful traditional practices and child labour as some of the challenges threatening the rights, welfare and future prospects of girls.
Hajiya Talatu Musa emphasised that investing in girls through quality education, protection, empowerment and equal opportunities was essential to building a safe, inclusive and prosperous society.
She called on parents, teachers, community leaders and other stakeholders to work collectively to protect girls’ rights and ensure that every girl had the opportunity to achieve her full potential.
The Permanent Secretary also expressed appreciation to the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, for his continued support for programmes aimed at promoting the welfare and development of women and children in the state.
She noted that the state government’s support contributed to the successful organisation of the event and underscored the need for sustained efforts to protect girls and advance their development.
The programme featured goodwill messages from implementing partners and presentations on child marriage, the rights of the girl child and the importance of investing in girls’ education and empowerment.
The first presentation, delivered by Abubakar Muhammed Inti, focused on strategies for ending child marriage and protecting girls’ rights to education, safety and personal development.
The second paper, presented by Muhammad Usman Umar, examined the rights of the girl child and the need for increased investment in girls’ education, empowerment and overall well-being.
A session on menstrual health and hygiene management was facilitated by Hajiya Habiba Adamu, who engaged the participating schoolgirls in an interactive question-and-answer session. The students demonstrated their understanding of menstrual health and proper hygiene practices through their responses.
The event also provided a platform to sensitise participants on the need to strengthen child protection mechanisms and encourage families and communities to support girls’ education, empowerment and well-being.
As part of efforts to promote menstrual health and hygiene, reusable sanitary pads were distributed free of charge to the girls in attendance.
The event attracted students from various girls’ schools across Bauchi State, giving them an opportunity to learn about their rights, interact with resource persons and deepen their understanding of education, personal hygiene and protection against harmful practices.
