World’s youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Pakistani female education activist, Malala Yousafzai, on Wednesday visited the Vice President Kashim Shettima, urging the federal government and Nigerian politicians to accord full commitment to girl-child education and funding.
Accompanied by the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations (UNDSG), Amina Mohammed, Malala told correspondents after the meeting at the presidential villa, Abuja that, girls’ education is important because it will determine the future of Nigeria.
The education activist and Co-Founder Malala Fund, who was shot by Taliban extremists in her home country at the age of 14 over her advocacy for girls’ education, said as people spoke for her, she also wanted to speak for the right of other girls to education.
She stated: “We know that there are more than 120 million girls who do not have access to education right now and just as people spoke out about my education, I want them to think about the education of other girls as well in Nigeria.
“I’m here because girls’ education is important here. It will determine the future of Nigeria. So, I’m here because I want to bring attention to those issues. I’m here to speak as well and share my thoughts with the communalities, and also lucky that I was able to meet girls in Abuja.”
“I would ask here in Nigeria that all governments of states, all party members make commitment to ensure that every child in Nigeria has access to a complete education, which includes senior secondary education as well; that every child has access to free and quality education and the second I ask is that we make full financial commitment to ensure that no child is left behind in this country,” she added.
At the meeting, the vice president assured her that the present administration remains fully committed to issues of girl-child education and gender empowerment and will promote same in the policies and programmes of the Federal Government under his watch.
According to a statement issued by Olusola Abiola, Director Information in the office of the Vice President, Shettima reiterated President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to issues of education and empowerment of women, noting that “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is fully and unequivocally committed to the girl-child education and gender empowerment initiatives.”
According to him, “the SDGs goals 4 and 5 will be vigorously pursued by the present administration. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a passionate and committed advocate of girl-child education. He believes in the empowerment of our women. He believes that the prosperity, the respect of every society is directly proportional to the way they treat their women folk.”
The Vice President commended the UNDSG and the Co-founder of Malala Fund for their efforts in promoting girl-child education among other initiatives.
“Amina Mohammed stands today as a symbol of hope for the African woman for her resilience, commitment and disposition and most importantly in her integrity.
She is an oasis of hope in an unending ocean of poverty and depravity, while Malala as an icon of hope and change in a despairing world,” Shettima noted.
He assured the Malala Fund of the Federal Government’s partnership with the organization for the greater good of Nigeria.
Amongst members of the delegation were the UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr Matthias Schmale; the Executive Director, UN Office of Partnerships Ms. Annemarie Hou; the Special Assistant to the DSG, Ms. Hadiza Elayo; the Senior Advisor to the Resident Coordinator, Mr Frederic Eno, and Co-Founder Malala Fund, Mr. Ziauddin Yousafzai.
Also Read:
Malala, UN deputy secretary, meets Zulum over girl child education in Borno
2022 Budget: Tinubu seeks Reps approval on N500bn subsidy palliatives
