Parents, traditional and community leaders, as well as other stakeholders have been urged to strengthen positive parenting and invest in the education, health and future of the girl-child to address child marriage in Bauchi and Gombe states.
The call was made on Thursday during an engagement organised by the United Nations Children’s Fund in collaboration with traditional leaders, women’s groups, partners, the media and girls to commemorate the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child.
The engagement, held in Gombe, brought together stakeholders from Bauchi and Gombe states to celebrate progress, amplify girls’ voices and discuss practical measures to strengthen the rights, wellbeing, skills and opportunities of girls.
Speaking during the engagement, the UNICEF Chief of Bauchi Field Office, Dr Nuzhrat Rafiq, said positive parenting remained one of the key interventions required to end harmful social norms, particularly child marriage.
Rafiq said the prevalence of child marriage remained a serious concern in both Bauchi and Gombe, stressing that failure to address the practice would deny girls opportunities to develop their full potential.
“The recent data tells us that in Bauchi, there is a very high percentage of child marriage and early marriage. This is also prevalent in Gombe as well.
The UNICEF official said girls needed access to healthcare, nutrition, education and opportunities to pursue careers so that they could contribute meaningfully to society as adults.
Rafiq said, “Positive parenting is one of the key interventions because the decision is in the hands of parents, especially fathers.
“Only positive parenting can have an impact at the community level for people to make the right decisions about their daughters and sisters.
“I have already talked to traditional leaders who were here that they need to take the lead on it. Positive parenting is very, very important. Our education sector, social policy, women’s affairs and health sector can all contribute towards positive parenting.”
