A call has gone to parents and guardians to refrain from discriminating against the girl child, stating that the girl child has equal potentials like the boy child and reassured that the State government will continue to empower the girl child.

Kwara State Governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, made this call yesterday during the 2024 International Girl Child's Day with the theme: "Girl Vision for the Future”, organised by the State Ministry of Women Affairs, held at Stella Obasanjo Multipurpose Hall, Ilorin.

Governor AbdulRazaq who was represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina Ahmed El-Imam, emphasised that the Child's Rights Law, Violence Against Persons and Prohibition (VAPP), Gender Composition Law, among others, are in force. "These laws ensure that children have compulsory education and get full protection against all forms of violence, molestations or discriminations", he said.

The Governor reaffirmed the State government's commitment to creating an enabling environment for the girl child to attain her full potential.

The First Lady of Kwara State, Amb. Prof. Olufolake AbdulRazaq, who was represented by the Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Dr. Abdul-Afeez Alabi Abolore, noted that her office will continue to advocate for policies that would expand girls' access to education, healthcare and protection from violence and exploitation.

In her remark, Wife of the Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Mrs. Saadat Danladi, counselled parents and guardians to be friends to their children and wards in order to insulate them against negative tendencies, advising female children to be focused and shun immoral actions inimical to the realization of their dreams.

In her welcome address, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hon. Opeyemi Oluwakemi Afolashade, commended the Governor and the First Lady for restoring integrity of the girl child through the Committee on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in the State.

Hon Afolashade stressed that prominent women had contributed to the development of the nation, describing the girl child as an integral part of society, with lofty ideas and intelligence.

The Keynote Speaker, Prof. Ruth Biola Adimula, tasked female children to acquire quality education to forestall inequality and discrimination.

Prof. Adimula said the education of the girl child will enable them compete favourably with the male counterpart, while identifying poverty, cultural norms and inadequate infrastructures as encumbrances to the survival of female children.

She cautioned female children against drug abuse, premarital sex, prostitution, alcoholism, cultism, fraud and other ignoble acts capable of ruining their future.