The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Rivers State, has called on parents, religious leaders, community leaders and other stakeholders to support efforts to end child marriage and promote the rights of the girl child.
Chairperson of FIDA Ahoada Branch, Sarah Apia, made the call on Wednesday 14 October, during activities marking the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child, themed “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights.”
The activities included sensitisation visits to secondary schools in Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Omoku and Abua/Odual Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
Apia said marrying off girls below the age of 18 was contrary to the law, stressing that every girl child deserved the opportunity to grow into adulthood, pursue education and fulfil her potential.
She added that children must be protected under the Child Rights Law of Rivers State, which prohibits child marriage and betrothal.
According to her, child marriage deprives girls of education, silences their voices and limits their opportunities to contribute meaningfully to society.
“When a child gets married, her future is at risk. Her education stops, and her voice is silenced. We are saying no to child marriage. Allow the child to be a child and let the girl child enjoy her childhood.
“After 18, she can become a bride. But before 18, we want everyone, everywhere, to allow the child to be a child. Let her go to school and become what she wants to be in life,” she said.
The FIDA Ahoada Branch chairperson noted that children lacked the legal capacity to consent to marriage, warning that parental decisions should not be used to force girls into early marriage against their wishes.
She urged parents, churches, government institutions, community leaders and other stakeholders to intensify efforts to protect girls and promote their rights.
“ When you invest in the girl’s rights, you invest in the family and the nation. Investment is cheaper than rescue. Investment is security for the nation and the world at large. The girl child brings much more to the table, and so we say, invest in girls’ rights,” Apia said.
Also speaking, the Principal of Senior Secondary School, Idu Ekpeye, in Ahoada West Local Government Area, Dr Ogadima Amadi, commended FIDA for the sensitisation exercise, describing it as an important intervention that could help change the attitudes of students and parents towards education and the welfare of girls.
Amadi expressed concern over students’ poor attendance, noting that some pupils failed to attend classes regularly, while others left school shortly after arriving.
He said the sensitisation programme would help students understand their rights and encourage parents to take their children’s education more seriously.
The principal also condemned the practice of sending school-age girls out to hawk during school hours, rejecting financial hardship as sufficient justification for denying children access to education.
He maintained that educating parents and children about their rights and responsibilities would help promote better decisions within families and communities.
Some students who participated in the exercise thanked FIDA for educating them about their rights, expressing optimism that the knowledge gained would help them make informed decisions and become responsible members of society.
Meanwhile, FIDA also called on women in Abua/Odual communities to support efforts to end early marriage, warning that the practice could prevent girls from achieving their full potential.
Speaking to women in Omokwa community, former Rivers State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hon. Mrs Ukel Akeodi Oyaghiri, alongside Rose Briggs, a legal practitioner, emphasised the important role women play in society.
They stressed that girls should be given the opportunity to fulfil their God-given potential rather than have their futures jeopardised by early marriage.
They urged parents and community stakeholders to work together to protect girls, sustain their education and ensure they enjoy their rights.
