Various organizations in Nakuru on Sunday congregated at the Hyrax Hill Museum for the celebrations to mark this year’s International Day of Girl Child even as talk about empowerment of girl child took center-stage.
Under the theme “My voice, our equal future”, speakers who addressed at the event calling for concerted effort in ensuring protection of the girl child rights.
Vera Technical Training College Director Ms Mercy Makena Chweya who was the Chief Guest at the event challenged the male gender (boys in society to all play their role in protecting girl child.
She noted that boy child cannot be left behind in advocating for the rights of girl child hence should be champions of the same.
“As a society we cannot just sit and leave behind the boy child.So even as we advocate for the rights of our girls, let us also think about the boy child as champions of girl child rights” said Ms Makena.
Hyrax Hill Museum Curator Lilian Amwanda on her part called on both the Government, human rights’ groups, schools, parents, churches and other stakeholders to be part of the process of empowering the girl child.
According to Ms Amwanda, this is the only way of bringing to an end the victimization and marginalization of the girl child in the society.
“The girl child is a critical component towards economic growth of the country and an important ingredient for the achievement of the country’s vision 2030 and so we all have a responsibility as society” she said.
Ms Amwanda added that empowering the girl child is a sure way of breaking the cycle of inequalities that have bedeviled the girl child over the years.
She was however quick to note that the society has begun embracing the girl child and this will even make them come out and speak for their rights.
“As far as the theme is concerned, I can say that we are at least somewhere and our girls in society can now speak out of the challenges they face hence address” said Ms Amwanda.
Lions Club of Nakuru,Lions Club of Menengai,Centre for Enhancing Democracy and Good Governance-CEDGG,Midrift, Tobias Foundation, National Gender and Equality commission,Youth Bila Noma among others were represented.
It should be noted that Lions Club of Nakuru was the main sponsor of the event.
This year’s celebrations come at a time when due to COVID-19 pandemic, there have been reported rising cases of abuse against the girl child.