Abuja, Nigeria – June 23, 2023 – The Nigeria National Coalition of Civil Society on Ending Child Marriage has taken a significant step in its mission to end child marriage and protect the rights of young women and girls in Nigeria by reviewing its Advocacy Strategy and adopted a comprehensive, gender-transformative approach that aims to eliminate child marriage in the country by 2028.
The Advocacy strategy was reviewed by members of the Coalition during a 5-day Co-creation workshop held at Denis Hotel in Abuja from June 19th to 23rd, 2023 organized with the support from Girls Not Brides, the global partnership to end child marriage
Key member organizations of the coalition, working across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, participated in the co-creation workshop. These organizations included Girls Voice Initiative, Girls Power Initiative, IWEI, WRAPA, African Girls Empowerment Network, Bella Foundation, Child & Youth Protection Foundation, Child Shield Initiative, DYDO, Women for Women, ROTDOW Africa, Save the Future of Children Initiative, Women Information Network, Society for the Improvement Rural People, Daughter of Abraham Foundation, Education as a Vaccine, Women Africa, and SOAR Initiative, Ace Charity among others. The workshop also saw the presence of representatives from Girls Not Brides, ActionAid Nigeria, Plan International Nigeria, UNICEF Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, ILO, and Save the Children Nigeria and a team of consultant led by Dr Ejiro Otive
During the workshop, Mr. Ali Andrew Madugu, the Director of Child Development at the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, lauded Girls Not Brides for their support in Nigeria’s efforts to combat child marriage. He expressed his appreciation for the co-creation workshop and urged all stakeholders present to devise an excellent strategy to eradicate child marriage in the country.
The Director further highlighted the devastating impact of child marriage on Nigerian society. He emphasized that the consequences extend beyond the immediate effects on girls, echoing throughout generations and affecting education, population growth, productivity, earnings, and maternal and child health.
“It is against this backdrop, considering the far-reaching implications of child marriage, that we must take targeted interventions to make faster progress in eliminating this practice,” said Mr. Madugu. As the National Machinery for the advancement of the rights and welfare of women and children, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs is actively collaborating with various stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society organizations, and development partners, to develop strategic steps that prevent and respond to child marriage.
The Director called upon all stakeholders to take action and work collectively to eliminate child marriage in Nigeria. He emphasized the need for structured and coordinated efforts, acknowledging that ending child marriage is the shared responsibility of all parties involved.
“I wish to state that accelerating efforts to end child marriage and other harmful practices in Nigeria is the collective responsibility of all stakeholders. Therefore, for us to achieve effective results, we must work together in a structured and coordinated manner,” Madugu emphasized.
He further affirmed the commitment of the Federal Government of Nigeria to collaborate with stakeholders in implementing policies, plans, and programs aimed at ensuring the holistic development of girls, in line with the principle of leaving no one behind.
Concluding his message, Mr. Madugu expressed his hope that the outcomes of the co-creation workshop would have a profound impact on ongoing efforts to reduce child marriage in communities across Nigeria.
“On this note, we hope that the outcome of the workshop will be of great impact on the efforts being put in place to ensure that child marriage is reduced in our communities and Nigeria at large,” he said.
Hadiza Abba, a representative of UNICEF Nigeria, provided an overview of the child marriage situation in Nigeria, revealing that the country is home to nearly 26 million child brides. Shockingly, 2 in 5 young women in Nigeria were married during their childhood, with 25.9 million married before the age of 18 and 12.2 million married before the age of 15.
“Nigeria now carries the highest burden of child marriage in Africa and ranks third globally.
The co-creation workshop not only allowed the coalition to reflect upon its accomplishments and challenges since its establishment in 2015 but also enhanced the capacity of participants in designing a three-year project plan through a collaborative process. It further equipped members with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively combat child marriage, including project design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. The integration of gender transformative approaches in program strategies, planning, and design was also emphasized to facilitate collaboration, collective advocacy, and movement building.
The Nigeria National Coalition of Civil Society on Ending Child Marriage remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding the rights and well-being of young women and girls. With the adoption of this 5-year gender transformative and collective action approach, the coalition aims to bring an end to child marriage in Nigeria by 2028. By working together and engaging various stakeholders, they strive to create a future where every child can thrive and fulfill their potential.