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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Former Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has said that the inclusion of women in every aspect of national life requires commitment and deliberate policy choices.
Sirleaf stated this, in a keynote address, in a special women month event organized by the Rochas Foundation, with the theme “Give to Gain: Women, Education and Impact – The Ripple Effect.”
The former Liberian President, while stressing the need for girl child education, also canvased for pathways that would to opportunity for women and inclusion in decision making.
Sirleaf who lauded the Rochas Foundation for its commitment to girl child education, noted that educating girls without creating a pathway for them to lead is tantamount to leaving the job half done.
According to her, “Where girls are given a chance where non existed and the futures and sense of possiblity to change, we see progress. This is where the ripple effect becomes real. Because when you educate a girl, you do not just change her life. You change the trajectory of entire generations.
“But we must also be clear. Education alone is not the end goal. Education must led to opportunities and inclusion in decision making. It must lead eventually to women holding power.
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“An educated girl becomes an educated woman and a vital participant in regional and national development. There are times like this, when progress requires deliberate policy choices and sustained action, the inclusion of women in all aspects of national life does not happen by chance. It requires committment. ”
Earlier, in her address, the Director General, Rochas Foundation, Uchechi Rochas, called for more action in addressing the issue of girl child education.
Rochas, while referencing a data from from UNICEF noted that over 7.8 million girls in Nigeria are currently out of school, while more than 10.2 million children lack access to education.
Like the former Liberian leader, she stated that when a girl is educated the ripple effect is felt in her family and the society at large, and stated that the number of out of school girls in the country is a pandemic that must be tackled.
“When a child is given education, especially the girl child, the impact does not stop with her. It extends to her family, her community, her nation, and ultimately, to humanity. If we fail the girl today, we fail the woman tomorrow.
“For many girls, education is not just literacy, it is empowerment. It is the freedom to speak, the right to choose, and in many cases, the chance to avoid early marriage,” Rochas stated.
