By Sheron Tita
According to statistics presented by Fily Diallo, representative of UNICEF, in Cameroon, nearly 55% of girls do not complete primary education and only 33% attained secondary level. One in five girls is married before the age of 18. What is more, the ongoing crisis plaguing the South West region caused girls to lose access to education, face displacement, to be forced into early marriages or adult responsibilities far too early.
In a bid to combat early marriages of girls below the age of 18, and fostering the education of the girl child, UNICEF in partnership with the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, Youths and Civic Education, has launched the “Girls Vision For the Future” Program in the chief town of the southwest region.
Fily Diallo, the representative of UNICEF, in her speech, emphasized that investing in adolescent girls brings massive socio-economic returns while recounting that the statistics earlier mentioned represent unfulfilled dreams. She said: “These are not just statistics. They are lives, unfulfilled dreams, and suppressed potential. They also represent missed opportunities for the
country, because investing in adolescent girls brings massive social and economic returns. For example, in education alone, every dollar invested in girls’ education yields five dollars in return for society”.
The “Girls Vision For The Future” Program seeks to amplify the voices of girls in the South West Region in particular and Cameroon at large, so that they can stand tall in claiming their rights; where education is not a privilege, but a right, where health is not a struggle, but given, where equality is not a distant dream, but a lived reality. The event which brought together about 150 adolescent girls and key stakeholders, was graced with the presence of the representative of nthe Governor of the South West region, Madam Mukete, amongst others.
Ediage Lucia Sona, South West Regional Delegate of Women Empowerment and the Family, applauded the initiative carried out by UNICEF at a time when the region is facing a socio political and economic crisis amongst others. She stated: “Since this crisis began, the girls have been going through a lot. Even now things have not yet taken shape; the statistics of rape cases are alarming and that is why we are crying every day. Because at times the rape cases used to be at the level of girls who are adolescent and adult girls but now you have teenage girls , even infants who are raped so it is alarming and really disheartening and deplorable”.
In relation to fight against early marriages, South West Regional Delegate of Women’s Empowerment and the Family promised severe punishment to those spearheading early marriages within the region, while urging adolescent girls to speak out , if they are being forced into early marriages.
The Imam of Buea Central Mosque, Mohammed Aboubakar, during the event which saw some muslim adolescent girls partaking in the “Girls Vision for The Future” program revealed that Islam encourages education of the girl child and is strongly against early marriages.
In order to foster education of the girl child and to stop early marriages, the Imam further disclosed that they have signed an agreement with MINPROFF ( Ministry of Women Empowerment and the Family), citing the criteria of marriage eligibility. He explained: “We have put in place a memorandum of understanding with MINPROFF; all the imams are into this and we
have put up a form for every child that wants to contract marriage their criteria which is age, and concern”.
Beng Faith Bright, one of the adolescent girls who is part of the “Vision for the Future” Program, after the launching urged her peers to stand up for their rights because there is a saying that educating the girl child is educating the nation.
After this launching, the adolescent girls shall showcase their immense potential, and influence the decisions that shape their future, in a Regional Summit on Girls Rights, to be held in Senegal in October 2025.
