The Malala Fund has urged the Kaduna government to strengthen re-entry policies that enable married girls and adolescent mothers to return to school, so that they can contribute positively to society.

Nabila Aguele, the foundation’s CEO in Nigeria, said this during a visit to the Centre for Girls’ Education in Zaria. She explained that the visit followed the fund’s first-ever global board meeting held in Nigeria, and was aimed at engaging directly with grassroots partners.

Ms. Aguele explained that the Malala Fund, which had been operating in Nigeria for a decade, supports 29 local organisations, including the centre. According to her, Nigeria accounts for over 22 million girls married under the age of 18 , the highest number in West and Central Africa, with many already mothers.

She warned that the education gap had long-term consequences for development, stating that children of unschooled mothers were less likely to attend school themselves.

Ms Aguele also stated that the fund was working to promote gender-responsive budgeting in the education sector, restating that policy-making must reflect the voices and realities of girls in their communities.

Habiba Mohammed, CGE executive director, said the organisation had impacted more than 200,000 girls in Kaduna through its Safe Space Programme since 2016.

She explained that safe spaces provide girls with life skills, vocational training, reproductive health education, nutrition, climate change awareness, and guidance on gender-based violence.

The programme also supports married adolescent girls while working alongside their husbands, parents, religious leaders, and community stakeholders to ensure re-entry into school.

“We want every girl, including married adolescents, to have lifelong learning so that even after 12 years of schooling, they continue to grow,” she added.

During the visit, some girls who had benefited from the safe space commended CGE and the Malala Fund, stating that they were now self-reliant and self-aware.

Maimuna Muhammad, who is married, said joining the space helped her identify gender-based violence and how to respond to it, adding that she now knows how to take care of herself and her baby.

The visit was led by Malala Fund co-founder Ziauddin Yousafzai, alongside Ms Aguele, with board members and international colleagues, to interact with safe space mentors and girls in the Bizara and Dambo communities in Zaria.

(NAN)