Since 2012, 11 October has been marked as the International Day of the Girl. The day aims to highlight and address the needs and challenges girls face, while promoting girls' empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights. The 2019 edition of the day was themed , “GirlForce: Unscripted and unstoppable”,.
It is in view of the highlighted significance, that MMAWT Legacy Initiative organised a public lecture to commemorate the day with participants drawn from across female secondary schools within the state, tertiary institutions and women groups.
The event which held at the mini conference hall of the International Conference Center Sokoto, featured 3 paper presentations on the topics, GIRL CHILD EDUCATION IN SOKOTO STATE, PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS, delivered by Dr Aisha Sanusi of the Usman Danfodio University Sokoto, MORALITY AND ETHICS IN ISLAM, by Dr Balbasat Ibrahim, the State Amirah of FOMWAN and IMPROVING GIRL CHILD AWARENESS ON MENSTRUAL HYGIENE, delivered by, Shafa'atu Abubakar Daniya of Maryam Abacha Women and Children Hospital Sokoto.
In her welcome address, the Chairperson of the occasion, Dr Binta Lawal Maidoki, who is also the principal of GGC Sokoto, welcomed the participants and gave a brief overview of the Commemoration, before declaring the event open.
In her presentation, Dr Aisha Sanusi spoke on the importance of girl child Education to the society, it's challenges and ways to overcome them. Dr Balbasat Ibrahim spoke extensively on the behavioral expectations upon all believers ,while Malama Shafa'atu Abubakar took time to guide the participants on hygiene especially the Menstrual aspect, which often poses a challenge to the girls.
In her Goodwill message delivered to the gathering, by her representative, the permanent secretary Ministry of Social welfare and community development, Hajiya Hauwa Abubakar , the Founder of MMAWT legacy initiative and wife of the Sokoto State Governor, Hajiya Maryam Mairo Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, thanked the participants for attending the Commemoration which she said clearly demonstrates the renewed commitment of the society in tackling issues militating against the development of the girl child such as child marriage, education inequality, gender-based violence, climate change, self-esteem, and girls’ rights.
The Wife of the Governor also assured the gathering of the total commitment of Governor Tambuwal's Administration to the development of Women and the girl child, which she said is being demonstrated by assigning leadership roles to women like never before in Sokoto State, facilitating the enrollment of female children into schools and provision of some incentives to the parents and children in other to encourage them, and women empowerment initiatives aimed at empowering them so they can also get the opportunity to contribute their own quota to the development of sokoto State.
Hajiya Maryam Mairo Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, ended her message with a qoute from the Commemoration speech delivered by the United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres where he said, "We need to uphold the equal rights, voices and influence of girls in our families, communities and nations. Girls can be powerful agents of change, and nothing should keep them from participating fully in all areas of life."
Goodwill Messages were also received from, Professor Sa'adiya Umar Bello, Barrister Hafsat Dange, and the President of FOSSOSSA among others.
