The United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has partnered with Girl Child Concerns Nigeria (GCC) and the Multi-Aid and Charity Initiative (MAC) to build the capacity of conflict-affected girls and ensure that they have access to quality education.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together was signed as part of the activities marking the International Day of the Girl Child in Borno State, northeast Nigeria.

The three parties committed to work together on advocacy to ensure all girls have access to quality education under the girls for girl project of the UNICEF.

The first lady of Borno State, Falmata Babagana Umara Zulum, signed the MoU on behalf of her pet project, MAC, with Hajiya Hauwa Gwoma signing for the GCC while UNICEF’s Chief Field Officer, Phuong Nguyen, signed on behalf of the UN agency.

The population of out-of-school children in Nigeria is over ten million, according to UNICEF.

Data from UNICEF shows that over 60 percent of these children are in Nigeria’s northern region, and about 60 percent of them are girls.

Speaking at the event before signing the MoU, the Borno first lady said the importance of the girl child cannot be overstated.

Founder of GCC, Mairo Mandara, also expressed commitment to join hands with the first lady in order to achieve the desired goals of promoting the education of the girl child.

UNICEF thanked Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the KfW Development Bank for funding the project.

Source: MAC

Photo source: UNICEF Nigeria