The National Coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to End Child Marriage, Enugu State Chapter, led by their Focal Person, Mrs. Miriam Menkiti, and Dr. Chris Ugwu, Executive Director of the Society for the Improvement of Rural People (SIRP), paid a high-level advocacy visit to the Enugu State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Chief Barr. Chris-Roberts Ozongwu.
The delegation was warmly received by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Clara Nwakaego Eze, who represented the Honourable Commissioner.
In her welcome address, Mrs. Menkiti, speaking on behalf of the Coalition, appreciated the Honourable Commissioner for creating time despite his tight schedule to meet with them. She noted that the National Coalition of Civil Society to End Child Marriage in Nigeria comprises over 100 members across the six geo-political zones of the country.
She highlighted that child marriage remains a significant human rights challenge in Nigeria, disproportionately affecting young girls and contributing to cycles of poverty, inequality, and violations of children’s rights. From the Coalition’s field observations in Enugu State, child marriage—often driven by poverty—remains prevalent alongside other exploitative practices such as child labour, child begging, and child hawking.
Mrs. Menkiti emphasized that the Enugu State Child Rights Law (2016) expressly prohibits child marriage. In line with this, the Coalition members in the state have undertaken several awareness and sensitization campaigns to discourage the practice. Furthermore, the Enugu State Chapter, in partnership with Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage, is currently working with targeted communities to introduce bylaws prohibiting child marriage. Communities currently engaged in this effort include Akwuke, Umuatugbuoma, and Ekpulato-Mgbowo.
The Coalition called on the Ministry to partner with them and support the creation of a more protective and empowering environment for the girl child until she reaches the age of 18. They stressed that early marriage deprives girls of education, exposes them to health risks, and entrenches poverty cycles. They commended the Enugu State Government for its policy of tuition-free primary and junior secondary education but appealed for more budgetary prioritization. Specifically, they requested timely issuance of warrants to ensure the release of allocated funds to the Ministry of Children and Gender Affairs and other relevant agencies.
Additionally, the Coalition submitted a policy brief recommending that the government develop and implement child-friendly education policies, including scholarships and a gender-responsive curriculum that takes into account the unique needs of the girl child.
In her response, the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Clara Nwakaego Eze, strongly condemned the practice of childmarriage, describing it as a harmful violation that truncates the rights and future of young girls. She praised the Coalition for their efforts in grassroots sensitization and advocacy, noting that such work was essential in bringing real change. She assured the delegation of the Ministry’s commitment to work collaboratively towards ending child marriage in the state.
Mrs. Eze further emphasized that the Ministry will give attention to the issue when budget proposals are received from the relevant agencies and that efforts will be made to ensure that adequate funds are allocated and released to support education, protection, and empowerment of the girl child. She reiterated that the Ministry is committed to supporting any initiative that aligns with the broader vision of inclusive development and human rights.
The visit ended on a hopeful note with mutual assurances of collaboration and continued engagement between the Coalition and the Ministry.