Enugu Traditional Rulers Outlaw Girl-Child Marriages

Girl-child marriages and various gender-based harmful practices are now prohibited in Enugu State, the state traditional rulers’ council said in a communiqué obtain by THE WHISTLER on Thursday.

The decision was arrived at after the council’s multi-stakeholders’ strategic conference held with the WomenAid Collective. The conference was in partnership with the Ford Foundation with support from Enugu State Ministries of Gender Affairs, Chieftaincy Matters and Justice, and the 50/50 Action Women of the state.

According to the communiqué, signed by the chairman of the council, Amb Lawrence Agubuzu, the move was to eradicate obnoxious practices against the girl-child.

It read in part, “We are also committed to implementing the Supreme Court judgment that females have a right to inherit property from the family estate, whether married or not.

“We are also committed to actions to codify communal laws and regulations that will protect women and girls. Subsequently, we will have an Enugu State that is free from all forms of violence against women and girl-child.”

The royal father added that the state traditional rulers’ council was in support of the inclusion of women in the process of decision making on issues that affect them, and called for the integration of women in community leadership.

The traditional institution would, henceforth, mediate in human and women’s rights’ cases in line with state, national, regional and international human rights laws, he noted, adding that the council had already begun to educate Enugu residents to do away with obnoxious practices that are still in practice in some southern states, such as female genital mutilation.