By Adia Jildo
The Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs Angelina Teny has called on the government stakeholders to invest on girl child education for women leadership and development to prosper.
The minister made the appeal while addressing women leaders, civil society activists, humanitarian workers and partners at the Transformational Leadership conference for Women leader’s consultation program aimed at convening different women leaders from all over Africa from their different walks of life.
She said there is need to promote girl child education citing the privileges attained currently where women are able to work in different places and opportunities.
“The girl child education in our country in some places is probably less than 5% but, in some places, less than 30 percent, and the key is education. How can we use this opportunity to highlight this and to mobilize support for our girl child education?” she questioned.
She said women should as well be given leadership opportunities besides the provision of education to contribute positively in the country’s development.
“When women get into politics, there is no mentor, we find our ways, Struggle Women stories are a part of a success story that need to be brought up and kept, improved upon,” she said.
“We understand that now there is no opportunity, here women cannot participate and contribute positively without their male counterparts. We now must see to it that there is investment in women leadership, transformational leadership. This is being loaded in a sense that we were brought up as women leaders in the community,” she emphasized.
Meanwhile, the Vice President for Gender and Youth Cluster Mama Rebecca Nyandeng said there is need to consider gender from both sides saying when promoting the girl child, there is need to support the boy child too.
“Don’t let us leave our boys. Let us work together with our boys and children,” she said. “When we leave them behind, they will not understand equality.” She called on women leaders to support the girl child and bring them to light for the social, economic and political contribution.