The question of whether the female child should be given the same rights as her male counterpart was the focus of discussion at a live program at WiGRadio.com. a Lagos-based online radio station when interns of the Media Career Development Network (MCDN) visited the station on an internship exchange programme.
The visit to WiGRadio last Tuesday coincided with the marking of the International Day of the Girl-Child.
The extensive discussion featured the Executive Director of MCDN, Mr Lekan Otufodunrin, Programme Manager, Mr Dayo Emmanuel, Executive Director, of WiGRadio, Mr Olawale Perfect, interns of the two organisations and two youths on the National Youth Service Corps scheme.
Otufodunrin said that the girl child should be given the same rights as a boy child and any domestic activity a boy child can do, a girl child can also do.
The media trainer also explained that he gives attention to both his boy and girl children and loves to celebrate them equally.
According to him, “What we are asking for is not necessarily equality but equity where everyone irrespective of his or her gender have equal opportunities.
To make the girl child more comfortable, Emmanuel said there must be enough legislation and infrastructure in place.
“The various stakeholders must ensure necessary infrastructure like scholarships and other facilities, especially legislation to support the girl child,” he said.
CEO of WiGRadio, Olawale Perfect, said there is a need for a girl child to be given more recognition in society.
“We are in a more modern and civilized world. A girl should be given the room to explore and do things that a boy child can do. It’s an advanced world,” he said.
Cordelia Emurie, one of the SIWES students from Gateway Polytechnic, Saapade, Ogun State emphasised the fact that a girl should be given more attention.
While sharing her personal experience, Emurie said, “My dad paid more attention to the male children both physically and financially and this affected a lot of things. Parents should be balanced because this can affect the children.”
Another intern from Gateway Polytechnic, Osara Anita, noted that the girl child is naturally built to be more responsible going by the training she’s exposed to.
One of the Corp members, Whisky Adebisi said the girl child should be appreciated because of her natural roles and knowing that society’s expectations from her are too much.
