Abuja: Young female filmmakers and stakeholders have urged governments and partners to end school dropout and child marriage, using films and personal stories to advocate policies guaranteeing every girl’s right to education nationwide. The call was made during the ‘Stories that Move Policy: A Malala Day Film Screening,’ organised by Malala Fund Nigeria and the Participatory Communication for Gender Development (PAGED) Initiative in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the event celebrated girls as filmmakers, storytellers, and advocates, highlighting how their creativity and lived experiences are shaping public conversations and influencing policy reforms aimed at improving girls’ education outcomes. A major attraction was CIKAS, a short film written, directed, and produced by girls under the PAGED Initiative, spotlighting poor educational access, inadequate facilities, and financial hardship driving school dropout.
Ms Ummi Bukar, Programme Director of PAGED Initiative, said the project was created to give girls, particularly married adolescents, a platform to advocate for themselves through storytelling and lived experiences. She emphasized the importance of using personal narratives to create empathy and inspire action among policymakers and the public.
Bukar noted that community engagements showed improvements in girl enrolment in some areas, but many still dropped out before completing secondary education due to persistent social barriers. She identified child marriage as a leading cause of school dropout, noting that many married adolescent girls still desired opportunities to return to school and complete their education.
Ms Nabila Aguele, Chief Executive Officer of Malala Fund Nigeria, underscored the power of girls telling their own stories through film, advocacy, and community engagement. She highlighted challenges faced by girls, including long distances to schools, poor infrastructure, lack of menstrual hygiene facilities, and the prevalence of child marriage.
Aguele added that another film documented experiences of married and pregnant adolescent girls who expressed a strong desire to continue their education despite societal barriers and widespread discrimination. She stressed the importance of ensuring that these girls have the opportunity to return to school, build their futures, and break the cycle of poverty.
Dr Folake Olatunji-David, Director of Basic Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, represented by Dr Efi Anam, highlighted the ministry’s development of national guidelines supporting school re-entry for girls. She urged civil society organisations to support the domestication and implementation of the policy across states to ensure pregnant and adolescent girls could continue their education uninterrupted.
Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, represented by Mrs Halima Oyelade, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to working with development partners and the private sector to empower girls. Director-General of the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization, Mrs Aisha Adamu-Augie, described storytelling as a powerful tool for changing social norms and influencing policy decisions.
Some girls at the event shared experiences of overcoming pregnancy, marriage, and societal challenges, while demonstrating resilience and determination to continue their education despite difficult circumstances. They appealed to government and policymakers to implement programmes guaranteeing access to quality education for married adolescent girls and women seeking opportunities to return to school.