Young female filmmakers and education advocates have called on governments and development partners to tackle school dropout and child marriage, stressing that every girl deserves access to quality education. The appeal was made during a Malala Day film screening in Abuja, where girls used storytelling to highlight the barriers preventing many from completing school.
A key feature of the event was CIKAS, a short film created by girls under the Participatory Communication for Gender Development (PAGED) Initiative. The film explored how poverty, poor school facilities and child marriage continue to force many girls out of the classroom, while organisers said storytelling can influence public policy by giving a human face to these challenges.
Speakers from the Malala Fund Nigeria and PAGED Initiative urged governments to go beyond increasing school enrolment by addressing issues such as inadequate sanitation facilities, childcare support and policies that allow married and pregnant girls to return to school. They noted that millions of girls in Nigeria still face barriers to completing their education.
Representatives of the Federal Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Women Affairs reaffirmed their commitment to supporting girls’ education through partnerships and implementation of school re-entry policies. Participants also called for stronger collaboration to ensure every girl has the opportunity to learn, thrive and contribute to national development.
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