FAWE Nigeria worried over decline in Girls education in conflict-affected areas

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

In a bid to ensure gender equality in education, FAWE Nigeria has expressed displeasure over the reduction of girls in accessing quality education in conflict-affected areas in Nigeria.

National Chair of FAWE Nigeria, Jiddere Kaibo while speaking recently in Abuja at the FAWE baseline report launch on the status of teenage pregnancy in conflict and post-conflict situations in Nigeria emphasized the urgent need to protect girls’ education amidst escalating insecurity in conflict and post-conflict regions across the country.

She articulated the pressing need to go beyond enrollment figures, focusing on retaining enrolled girls until they successfully complete their education, thereby consolidating the commitment to equitable access to education.

Meanwhile, the report indicated a culmination of rigorous research and analysis, revealed the stark realities faced by girls in conflict-affected areas in which responses from various states underscored a distressing pattern: the pervasive fear of bandits, armed groups, and student abductions is driving a significant decline in female child enrollment rates and eroding the interest of young girls in pursuing education.

The report also articulates the profound impact of insecurity on girls’ education, emphasizing how fear of bandits, armed groups, and student abductions has not only led to a significant decline in female child enrollment rates but also perpetuated harmful practices such as early marriages.

It maintained that this cycle of insecurity and early marriages contributes to a vicious cycle of poverty, as girls are denied the opportunity to complete their education and break free from economic hardship.

“States like Katsina, Borno, and Adamawa reported alarming disruptions in female child enrollment, highlighting the urgent need for data-driven interventions to protect girls’ education.

“The correlation between insecurity, abduction of school-going girls, and adverse outcomes such as early marriages and increased dropout rates further emphasized the critical role of education data in guiding targeted solutions.”

National Chair Jiddere Musa Kaibo reiterated the call for urgent and comprehensive interventions to address the multifaceted impact of insecurity on girls’ education, health, and overall well-being.