EXECUTIVE Director, Women Information Network (WINET), a
Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Miriam Menkiti, has urged the people of
Ebenebe in Awka North LGA to work towards putting an end to child and forced
marriages in the community.
Menkiti made the
call at a Town hall meeting held by the group held in the community which drew
representatives of all the gender divides in the community.
She emphasized that
her NGO had launched a campaign entitled the ‘Right to be a girl,’ solely to
sensitise the community on the need to abolish the practice, as at it was
variance with the provisions of Anambra State Child Rights Law 2006, and
Child’s Rights Act of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“WINET had earlier
this year carried out sensitization dialogues with different segments of the
community including the youths, the girls, the men and the women, where they
all stressed their commitment towards ending teenage marriages as well as
practice of ‘Tum, Num’ whereby some girls under 18years are given out in
marriage or forced into marriage is prohibited by law,” she emphasised.
On his part, a legal
consultant to WINET and former Solicitor General of Anambra State, Mrs Tina
Emekekwue, told the gathering that every child has rights and obligations under
the constitution of Nigeria, especially under the Child Rights Law, such as right
to education, freedom of association, right to private and family life, right
to survival and development.
Earlier, the
President General of Ebenebe Town Union, Paul Nnatuanya, who was represented by
the Secretary, Mr Charles Onyebuchi, appreciated WINET for the campaign and
appealed to those at the meeting to spread the ‘good news’ across the nooks and
crannies of the community.