\”Average Nigerian Girl\”

Across Nigeria, many young girls are inhibited by socio-cultural factors that impede their well-being and development. Also, violent conflicts and widespread insecurity form part of everyday challenges for millions of girls. From limited access to education, healthcare, basic survival services to threats to human security, sexual violence and being used as instruments of war. In 2014, about 276 schoolgirls were kidnapped in Chibok, Borno State, by Boko Haram insurgents. There was also the kidnapping of nearly 110 Dapchi girls in the same Borno state by terrorists. However, the Dapchi schoolgirls were later released. There are reports that many kidnapped children are used as child soldiers and suicide bombers by insurgent groups. These old events and new abduction cases are some of the experiences of the girl-child in some parts of Nigeria. Existing and emerging violent vistas in Nigeria threatens the fate of many residents, especially girls.

Girls in relatively non-volatile environments are either inhibited by structural and cultural segregations or are domestic abuse victims. Beyond political representation, women and girls do not have adequate access to education. In Nigeria, 60 per cent of the 13.2 million out-of-school children are girls. Lack of access to education further inhibits the girl child\’s ability to secure jobs, earn decent pay, make informed decisions and even have a stable family relationship. The situation also engenders more female marginalisation, underrepresentation and vulnerability to violence. In 2018, the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) reported that a local militia fighting Boko Haram insurgents in northeast Nigeria released about 833 child soldiers. According to UNICEF, the released children were among the nearly 1,500 boys and girls recruited by vigilante militias.

Several conversations and interventions are ongoing to improve the living conditions of the average Nigerian girl. However, continued violent conflict across the board poses significant challenges to this ambition. In response to the 2014 abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno state, the Global Business Coalition for Education and A World at School launched a \’Safe Schools Initiative\’. Despite an initial $10 million fund and take-off with 500 pilot schools in Northern Nigeria, many kids still face grave dangers in learning places. The rise of insecurity and the current war against education in Nigeria calls for increased security in hotspots and learning environments. Security organisations must collaborate with local security militias and residents to adequately manage threats children face while accessing education.

In some of Nigeria\’s conflict scenes, women\’s fate appears to be experiencing a paradigm shift, which should set the pathway for the emancipation of the girl-child. For instance, in the northeast conflict, many conflict-impacted communities\’ resilience efforts have benefitted from the significant impact of women in coping efforts and peacebuilding mechanisms. A Nextier SPD study reveals that women\’s roles have been redefined in managing the Boko Haram insurgency\’s impact, and gender lines blurred. Women now play essential roles in some northeast Nigeria communities by conducting surveillance and intelligence gathering to uncover planned attacks. Women are also actively involved in conflict resolution and peacebuilding mechanisms set up by communities in the conflict zone. Many women in the understudied communities have moved from spectators to active participants, from unheard to leading conversations. This development should set the tempo for the development of the girl-child, especially in conflict-impacted communities.

However, it is imperative to pay more attention to the conditions of the girl-child, especially in conflict zones and the ongoing proliferation of violence in Nigeria. Tailored solutions are essential to address the challenges facing girls in Nigeria. For example, travails of women and girls in the Boko Haram conflict, both as victims and perpetrators, are uniquely different and must be addressed with women-tailored solutions. There is also a need to increase girl-child-focused interventions in the violent zones. More girls risk being sexually violated, kidnapped or coerced into joining armed groups due to their vulnerability. Therefore, more livelihood, nutrition and girl-child protection programmes are needed to salvage these challenges. The future of girls in crisis-impacted zones may appear uncertain, but adequate intervention efforts will ensure positive outcomes. As the world marks the International Day of the Girl-Child, Nigeria must mobilise development agencies\’ support, civil societies\’ partnership and local actors\’ involvement to engender sustainable girl-child safety, empowerment and development across the country.