By Amoto Ndiewo
Education stakeholders from Garissa County have called upon all education stakeholders to tie legs together and address girl child’s needs so as to empower them to maximize their potential.
Human rights activist Maka Kassim noted that teen pregnancies, Female Genital Mutilation and poverty have remained challenges facing the North-Eastern girl child.
Speaking at NEP Girls National High School, Maka called on well-wishers to reach out to the vulnerable girl child by teaching them how to cope with historical and modern challenges they are sandwiched in between.
“In the past, cruel FGM and rampant early marriages were the norm. In the current digital age, the challenge of early pregnancy has cropped in and it poses a big problem to girl child education,’’ she noted.
Another activist Fatuma Bathi noted that the society can’t just sit back and watch the girls’ lives get destroyed.
‘Our society can’t just sit back and watch young girls get impregnated. A right course of action hasn’t been taken,’’ said.
She urged the society to look after the girl child’s needs and challenges and not to bury their heads in the sand.
Fatuma further called for concerted efforts in fighting FGM, drug abuse, terrorism amongst young people.
On the same breadth, Ahmed Abdi, Garissa County Director of Gender, said neither the Holy Bible nor the Holy Quran embraces FGM or any form of violence against any gender.
Abdi urged girls to ensure they report all cases of suspected sexual harassment , sexual advances , violence , or discrimination.
Aisha Omar, a student at NEP Girls National High School, called on the society to gift the girl child her rights and ensure they are trained to acquire knowledge on how to resist sexual advances.
“Sexual advances often lead to early pregnancies amongst other immoralities,’’ she regretted.
Saadia Ali, another student, called on caretakers and teachers to remain committed and actively involved in their children’s day to day lives to mentor and guide them.
‘’Mentorship works when you have parents or guardians and teachers who are committed to ensure that you succeed. Without mentorship, we are done and doomed,” she pointed out.
She further urged girls to embrace self-disciple, focus and hard work if they want to succeed.
“Push yourself beyond your limits and ultimately it will pay off beautifully.’’ She concluded.
