UNICEF and Stakeholders Push to End Child Marriage

On October 9, stakeholders in Bauchi and Gombe states, including UNICEF and the Bauchi Radio Corporation, convened in Gombe for a one-day engagement focused on ending child marriage and enhancing girls' access to education. The event, themed “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights,” gathered traditional rulers, women’s groups, development partners, media representatives, and girls to discuss strategies against harmful sociocultural practices.

Ladi Alabi, Child Protection Specialist at UNICEF’s Bauchi Field Office, emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to girls' development, highlighting health risks linked to early marriage, such as vesicovaginal fistula (VVF). Dr. Nuzhat Rafiq, UNICEF Chief of Bauchi Field Office, stated that coordinated efforts across health, education, nutrition, and social protection sectors are essential to ending child marriage.

Participants advocated for increased awareness, mentorship, and socioeconomic improvements for vulnerable families to combat the factors leading to child marriage.