Oluremi Tinubu Advocates for Closing Gender Gaps in Education and Health

The First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu, has called on stakeholders to address the gender gaps that are hindering the development of girls and women, particularly in the areas of education and health.

Speaking at the 28th General Assembly of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), she emphasized that closing the gender gap is not an act of charity but of justice.

Without education, girls lack the skills to support themselves and access information to make informed choices about their health and future, with school dropouts further fueling the cycle of poverty and gender inequality.

The theme of the 28th OAFLAD General Assembly, “Educate Her and Transform Africa: Enhancing Access to Health and Education for the 21st Century African Women and Girls,” was deemed particularly apt by Mrs. Tinubu, as it addresses the core of the quest for a thriving and progressive continent.

Education and health form an inseparable foundation for societal progress, as they shape knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours.

Education empowers individuals and communities, which in turn has a direct influence on health outcomes.

Mrs. Tinubu expressed concern over the fact that embedded social norms like early marriage and childbearing restrict girls’ life choices.

She also pointed out other obstacles, such as sexual violence, family health crises, and poverty, which force girls out of classrooms in Nigeria.

The Nigerian Government, through the Ministry of Education, is set to establish nationwide, the Alternative High School for Girls, an initiative that Mrs. Tinubu envisioned while she was the First Lady of Lagos State.

This alternative education program aims to provide young girls who have dropped out of school due to early pregnancies, economic hardship, or marginalization with a second opportunity to complete and advance their educational goals, acquire skills, and become empowered.

Oluremi Tinubu’s call for stakeholders to close gender gaps in education and health emphasizes the importance of addressing these issues to achieve a more equitable and prosperous society.