Nigeria: Child Marriage Robs Girls of Their Future - - First Lady
[Vanguard] ABUJA -- THE First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has called for an end to child marriage in Nigeria, warning that no girl should be denied education, safety, health or the right to determine her own future.
In a powerful message to mark the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child, held on Sunday, October 11, Nigeria's First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu has called for an end to child marriage in the country. She emphasized that no girl should be deprived of education, safety, health, or the right to shape her own future.
Tinubu urged the nation to move beyond mere words and take concrete steps against a practice that robs girls of their childhood and hampers national progress. The 2026 global observance of the day is centered around the theme, "End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls' Rights," highlighting child marriage as a major obstacle to girls' education, health, safety, and leadership.
The First Lady stressed that every girl deserves the opportunity to grow up without discrimination, violence, or harmful traditional practices. She described girls as carriers of voices, strength, potential, and leadership, and insisted that their rights must be respected not only in laws but also within homes, schools, communities, and public policies.
On the International Day of the Girl 2026, Tinubu celebrated the voices, strength, potential, and leadership of girls worldwide, urging families, community leaders, policymakers, and government institutions to confront child marriage head-on. She argued that protecting girls is not a mere social responsibility but an economic and developmental necessity. When girls succeed, families prosper, communities flourish, and nations advance.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
