UNICEF Advocates for Positive Parenting to End Child Marriage

On October 8, 2026, during the International Day of the Girl Child, UNICEF called for enhanced positive parenting to combat child marriage in Bauchi and Gombe states. The engagement, organized in Gombe, involved parents, traditional leaders, women’s groups, and other stakeholders.

Dr. Nuzhrat Rafiq, Chief of the Bauchi Field Office for UNICEF, highlighted that positive parenting is crucial to ending harmful social norms like child marriage. She pointed out the high prevalence of child marriage in both states and stressed that addressing this issue is vital for girls to reach their full potential.

Rafiq urged all sectors, including education, health, and social policy, to invest in the girl-child, asserting that failure to do so would hinder national progress. She emphasized that parents, particularly fathers, play a key role in making decisions that affect their daughters' futures and that traditional leaders should lead efforts in promoting positive parenting.