Ex-beauty Queen & SDF Mental Health Ambassador, Lady Mina Horsfall and Mental Health Counsellor, Dr Sa’adatu Adamu who is the Founder/President of Secure-d-Future International Initiative have lent their voices in favour of more support for the girl-child in society.
The duo spoke in Abuja on Wednesday, October 11, 2023, as the world marked the United Nations International Day of the Girl-child.
On December 19, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170 to declare October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child, to recognise girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world. The International Day of the Girl Child focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights.
The theme of International Day of the Girl 2023 according to the UNICEF website is, “Invest in Girls’ Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-being.” The theme focuses on taking action to curtail girls and women’s rights and gain progress on gender equality.
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Dr Adamu in her remark on the occasion sent good wishes to girls all over the world, “you are special, you are unique, regardless of the situation, tribulations and challenges of life,” she said, just as her NGO, Secure-D-Future International Initiative (SDF) puts finishing touches to a Mental Health conference to commemorate the World Mental Health Day, which was marked on October 10.
Dr Sa’adatu Adamu is an international mental health counsellor working with victims of human trafficking, rape, and substance and emotional abuse.
She concluded by saying that girls should not allow the situation around them to weigh them down, assuring them of a bright future. “I celebrate you and I want to tell every girl out there that the future is very bright, happy celebration and my love to all the girls out there.”
On the other hand, Mina Horsfall, a Nollywood star, girls’s rights activist and brand ambassador used the occasion to call for more intentional support for young girls and women. Mina, who had pursued a political career at some point, called on the government to create an enabling platform for the female gender to feature in the scheme of things in all spheres of human endeavours.
Quoting the UN, she said; “adolescent girls have the right to a safe, educated, and healthy life, not only during these critical formative years, but also as they mature into women. If effectively supported during the adolescent years, girls have the potential to change the world – both as the empowered girls of today and as tomorrow’s workers, mothers, entrepreneurs, mentors, household heads, and political leaders.”
Dr Sa’adatu Adamu and Ambassador Mina Horsfall both sent felicitations to girl-children and women all over the world on the special celebration, urging them to pursue their dreams and be the best they can be.