Girl-child empowerment: 1ISDN urges investment in education, skills, mentorship

The One Impact Social Development Network (1ISDN) has called for increased investment in girl-child education, leadership development and empowerment, stressing the need to equip young girls with the skills and opportunities to contribute to Nigeria’s development.

The Executive Director of 1ISDN, Enenede Idusuyi, made the call at the opening of the 2026 EMPOWERHER Cohort 2 programme, organised to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child under the theme, “Know Her. Build Her. Empower Her.”

Idusuyi said the commemoration should translate into practical measures that ensure every girl is heard, protected, educated and given the opportunity to realise her potential.

She noted that many Nigerian girls still face barriers to education, mentorship, personal safety, life skills and other opportunities essential for their growth and development.

According to her, knowing the girl child requires understanding her circumstances and listening to her aspirations, while building her involves investing in education, self-confidence, leadership, digital skills and financial literacy.

She added that empowering girls also requires supportive environments and effective protection systems that enable them to make informed decisions and pursue their ambitions.

The 1ISDN executive director emphasised the roles of families, schools, communities, institutions and women in mentoring girls, safeguarding their rights and expanding their opportunities.

She maintained that investing in girls would strengthen families and communities while contributing to Nigeria’s human capital development and long-term prosperity.

Idusuyi urged participants to remain committed to learning, ask questions, identify their strengths and build relationships that would support their personal and professional growth.

She also acknowledged the contributions of the programme’s partners, facilitators and mentors, calling on stakeholders to sustain efforts that would create lasting opportunities for Nigerian girls.

In her keynote address, Olabisi Fatima Akorode said meaningful empowerment of the girl child must begin with listening to girls, investing in their potential and creating an environment where they can thrive.

Akorode identified education, digital literacy, vocational training, financial literacy, mentorship and effective child protection as essential tools for addressing the challenges confronting girls.

She called for targeted interventions for girls affected by poverty, disability, displacement, exploitation and insecurity, stressing the need to ensure that vulnerable groups are not excluded from opportunities for development.

The keynote speaker outlined three priorities for advancing girl-child empowerment: strengthening support for vulnerable girls, creating pathways to self-reliance through education and skills acquisition, and establishing sustainable partnerships among government institutions, development partners, civil society organisations and the private sector.

She also urged parents, traditional and religious leaders, programme organisers and development partners to support policies that protect girls, discourage harmful practices and promote their development.

Akorode further encouraged the organisers of EMPOWERHER Cohort 2 to sustain the initiative through structured mentorship, practical training and follow-up programmes that would enable participants to apply the knowledge and skills acquired.

Addressing the girls, she urged them to take their education seriously, acquire new skills, seek trusted mentors and pursue their ambitions with confidence.

She stressed that their voices and contributions were important to Nigeria’s future, adding that the success of empowerment initiatives should be measured by the lives transformed and the opportunities created for girls.