General
Source: All Africa
In observance of the International Day of the Girl Child, under the national theme 'Ensuring quality education for girls empowerment,' former Miss Liberia Patrice Juah has warned elderly (old) men commonly known in the Liberian setting as "Godfathers" to stop the sexual exploitation and abuse of young girls.
Serving as a keynote speaker at the occasion which was held at the Paynesville Town Hall, Ms. Juah urged the "godfathers" to focus on how they can explore the minds of young girls by letting them focus on their education rather than focusing on the beauty of the girls.
Said Miss Juah; "Older men, instead of concentrating on the beauty of our girls' body, think about how beautiful the brain will be if you invest in their education. They are your daughters--advice and provide scholarship for them." She also warned parents to stop introducing their young daughters to godfathers "because they are fresh and ready (virgin and ready for sex)."
"We must stop introducing them godpa (older men) because they are fresh and ready," Miss Juah added. She said it is now time parents get their children from street selling and better shape their future by sending them to school. "Women should only see girls as their daughters, not competitors. They should be willing to provide mentorship and keep the girls in school."
"Parents, we must illustrate good example for our girls and teach them to dream and believe in the power of their dream," she said. She also advised girls to be willing to go extra miles in acquiring education, and they should try to be themselves rather than someone else. Patrice Juah said it is important that the government works in collaboration with parents to stop those harmful traditional practices which hinder girls' development by the day.
"Anything that has to do with education--I like and I will continue to support. When we are call to speak on these kinds of occasions, we are not just speaking for ourselves but we are representing the dream of thousands of young girls around the globe," said Juah. Juah said the international and local themes illustrate that the potential in the girl child can only be develop through quality education.
Providing statistical report, Juah said, globally 30 percent of girls are enrolled in school, 62 million adolescent are out of school globally, and half of that population is girls. One in seven girls in developing countries is married before age 15, she said. She narrated that over the last decade, more efforts have been made globally and nationally to create opportunity for girls to access quality education.
"Early this year, America's first lady Michelle Obama launched "Lets Girls Learn" to further amplify the issue of quality education for girls. In addition, Liberia launched its girls education policy in 2006 in which it called upon all of its partners to work collectively in achieving quality primary education and have also established a division of adolescent girls at the Ministry of Gender such efforts must me applauded," she said.
Juah said despite of all the initiative above, socio-economic and political barriers continue to jeopardize the health of girls, including sexual exploitation and abuse, harmful cultural practices gender inequality , teenage pregnancy, financial constraint, early marriage, peer pressure and the lack of mentors to motivate girls stay in school.
Providing overview of the day, Minister of Gender Children, and Social Protection, Julia Duncan-Cassell said on October 11 2011, a day was set aside by United Nations in recognition of the rights and challenges face by girls globally. She said on this day, activist groups come together under the same goal to highlight and discuss the difficulty faced by girls around the world.
The Minister said they will continue to work with it partners to take seriously the call to commit to putting adolescent girls at the center of substainable development efforts and to achieve such is by investing in a quality education.