British Deputy High Commission Launches Competition To Mark International Day Of Girl Child

The British Deputy High Commission in Lagos, on Wednesday, launched a competition for young people between the ages of 12 and 18 to mark the International day of girl child in Nigeria.

The Commission said the competition, which has been tailored separately for boys and girls, aims to resound the need for male champions of girl education.

In a statement by its press and public affairs officer, Ireti Oluwagbemi, the British Deputy High Commission said:

“The 11th of October was marked the UN as the ‘International Day of the Girl Child’.’ Since, 2012 when the date was chosen, civil society, private and public organizations across the world have used it to create awareness about the unique plight of young girls in their respective environments. This year, in order to re-emphasize the importance of quality education for the girl child, the British Deputy High Commission on Wednesday the 26th of August launched a competition for young people between the ages of 12 and 18.

“Tagged the #HeforShe competition, young men between the ages of 12 to 18 are encouraged to send in as entries, videos of themselves not longer than 120 seconds explaining the importance of male voices in the call for girls’ education, and what commitments they will be making in their own capacity to the cause.

“For girls, the #GirlChampion competition is aimed at showcasing the ambition of bright talented girls across the country by asking them to send in videos talking about their career ambitions and the need in the society they intend to address,” said the Commission.

Speaking on the structuring of the competitions, the British Deputy High Commissioner Laure Beaufils said “It was a deliberate decision to include young men in this campaign, because male allies are vital to the attainment of gender parity in the society, and we need to start including men in the conversation, as early and strongly as we do women.”

The Commission added that, “The competition, which closes at midnight on the 4th of October will see 6 champions picked from both genders, and hosted to tea by the Deputy High Commissioner, on October 11th, The International Day of the Girl Child, amongst other empowering and exciting opportunities.”