by Hosea Parah, Abuja

A civil society group known as The Plan International, has unveiled a $1 billion-dollar global strategy fund, targeted at 15 million Nigerian girls, to address problems affecting children’s rights and well-being in the country.

This was made known in Abuja on Monday, at the Global Strategy Launch 2022-2027, with the theme ‘Girls Standing Strong to Make Global Change’.

The Country Director of Plan International, Charles Usie, revealed that 15 million girls had already been targeted under the programme in Nigeria, out of a total global number of 200 million, noting that the focus was to ensure the girls had the strength to tackle issues they faced.

He said, “So the new strategy brings a new focus to girls and young people in meaningful ways. And by this we mean we want to in the next five years, build strength in the movement of young people and girls to tackle the issues that young people face, particularly young girls.”

The Global Chief Executive Officer of the Plan International, Mr. Stephen Omollo, said societies thrived and experienced positive and lasting impacts when attention was given to the rights of the girl child in areas of education, health, and politics, adding that the plan was also meant to address humanitarian issues, as it affected women and children.

“We are looking at how to expand its reach and work with the partnership and grow investment to work with young people in Nigeria. We are here in Nigeria to launch this global strategy, which really pleases us as Plan International, working with partners, and in Nigeria to progress the issue and advance children’s rights and equality for girls.

“We are here to discuss issues on how we can together, accompany the government of Nigeria, to say that we can address the humanitarian context in the country and address issues that impact on children.”

The group CEO said the plan was to invest in, and globally reach the targeted 200 million girls, through its recently launched Global Girls Foundation. He also commended the role of the federal government in supporting the course, while expressing hopes for sustained and improved collaboration.

On her part, the Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, represented by the Director, of Child Development Department, Ali Madugu, assured the group of continuous support to promote the rights of the girl-child, adding that the ministry would henceforth include a budget line for girls’ education.