Panafrican News Agency

Young girls leaders forum opens in Niger

Niamey, Niger (PANA) - The first Young Girls Leaders Forum, organized by the NGO New Challenge, in partnership with the Ministry for the Promotion of Women and Child Protection, opened Thursday in Niamey.

The theme of the forum, "Women's Leadership for Sustainable Development and Peacebuilding", is to promote the rights of girls, to make their voices heard, to offer them more opportunities for them to participate in decisions that affect them.

"The forum is an opportunity to give girls the opportunity to have their say in the decisions that commit them, in particular, and the country in general," said the coordinator of the NGO New Challenge, Ms. Ousseini Moussa Zeinabou.

As for Ilice Carnevali, Deputy Representative of Unicef ​​in Niger, she isd elighted to see more than 100 young girls from all over Niger committed to promoting the rights of their sisters and to raising their voices, through this forum.

"Some of you have certainly had the chance to go to school, to be supported by your loved ones and to pursue your dreams. This is unfortunately not the case for many girls in Niger. There is no need to depict here the number of girls who are discriminated against and abused just because they are girls, or the number of girls who have been taken out of school and stolen from their childhood to be brides," regretted Ms. Carnevali.

From Ayorou (far-west) of Niger to Bilma (far north), the Nigerien girl, according to Ms. Carnevali, needs models to inspire her. The Deputy Representative of UNICEF in Niger called the girls to drop barriers erected by stereotypes and exclusion.

"For us, you are champions and you have proven that you do not need super powers to do extraordinary things. Lead your actions in the villages and relay the change you are impacting on the girl," said Ilaria Carnevali.

Opening the forum, the Niger Minister for the Promotion of Women and Child Protection, Ms. Elback Zeïnabou Tari Bako, welcomed this initiative of the NGO New Challenge, saying it is in addition to the efforts of the Nigerien authorities at the highest level, and their partners.

"Your commitment to giving your time, energy, creativity and talents to other girls reassures the authorities and gives hope that another world is possible," she said, insisting that her ministerial department is ready to respond to any request concerning the promotion of the rights of Nigerien women.

-0- PANA SA/BEH/KND/VAO 10Oct2019