The United Nations Children’s Fund(UNICEF) has disclosed that 39 in keeping with cent of ladies in Kano State are married sooner than the age of 18, above the nationwide moderate of 33.4 in keeping with cent.
The Leader of UNICEF Box Place of business in Kano, Mr Shafeeq Ur-Rehman, disclosed this at an match to mark the 2026 International Day of the Girl-Child and the release of the Nationwide Technique and Costed Motion Plan for Finishing Kid Marriage in Nigeria (2025–2030), organised via the Federal and state ministry of ladies Affairs in collaboration with UNICEF held on the Coronation Corridor, Executive Space, Kano.
Ur-Rehman who used to be represented via Mona Aika, stated kid marriage remained a grave risk to kids’s rights, depriving women of schooling, exposing them to coverage dangers and restricting their long term alternatives.
He cited the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, which confirmed that roughly one in 3 younger ladies national and just about one in two within the North-West and North-East have been married sooner than their 18th birthday.
In step with him, Bauchi State recorded a incidence of 74 in keeping with cent, Jigawa 72 in keeping with cent and Katsina 69 in keeping with cent, whilst Kano’s determine stood at 39 in keeping with cent.
He stated, “In the back of each and every quantity is a lady with a voice, doable and goals.”
In step with him, finishing kid marriage required addressing poverty, gender inequality, damaging social norms and insufficient products and services, whilst making sure that ladies remained at school and households had get right of entry to to healthcare, social coverage and kid coverage products and services.
He counseled the government for launching the nationwide technique however stressed out that its luck would rely on ok investment and implementation.
“A costed plan will have to change into a financed and applied plan, mirrored in state priorities, budgets, robust products and services and measurable effects,” he stated.
Ur-Rehman steered the states represented on the match to reveal political dedication, supply home investment and toughen schooling, healthcare and coverage techniques to safeguard women.
Whilst reaffirming UNICEF’s readiness to paintings with governments and different companions to finish kid marriage and offer protection to women’ rights, he often known as for larger college finishing touch charges and larger participation of ladies in selections affecting their lives.
Previous, in her welcome deal with, the Everlasting Secretary of the State Ministry Aishatu Abdulkadir, stated finishing kid marriage and violence towards kids required collective motion.
She stated the state executive had prioritised schooling thru projects, together with unfastened and obligatory schooling, to make certain that kids had get right of entry to to studying alternatives.
Abdulkadir additionally steered stakeholders to attract on non secular and ethical ideas that emphasise the safety of youngsters’s dignity, well being and long term.
She stated protective kids from violence and retaining women at school have been crucial to the improvement of Kano State and the North-West area.
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