Child Marriage: Maiduguri Foundation Calls for Urgent Action to Protect Girls

By Umar Ahmad

The Kalthum Foundation for Peace has called for urgent action to end child marriage in Northern Nigeria and across the Sahel, warning that poverty, insecurity and displacement continue to deprive thousands of girls of their education, rights and future opportunities.

The foundation’s Chief Executive Officer, Ummu Kalthum Muhammad Rabiu, made the call on Sunday to mark the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child, stressing that child marriage should not be excused as a cultural practice when it exposes girls to lifelong disadvantages.

Ms Rabiu said the growing vulnerability of girls in conflict-affected communities required governments, traditional and religious leaders, and development partners to treat the issue as both a human rights concern and a threat to long-term peace and security.

“Girl child marriage is not just a girls’ issue. It is a security issue. It is a human development issue. It is a peace issue,” she said.

Drawing on her experiences in internally displaced persons’ camps in Monguno, host communities in Bama and schools in Chibok, Borno State, Ms Rabiu said girls were often the first to suffer when conflict, poverty and environmental challenges disrupted family life.

She explained that when insurgency, banditry and kidnapping force schools to close, girls are frequently withdrawn from education. In households struggling with hunger and displacement, some parents resort to marrying off their daughters in an attempt to ease their financial burdens.

The foundation said climate-related pressures, including the shrinking of Lake Chad and conflicts between farmers and herders, had further worsened the economic difficulties facing vulnerable families across the region.

Citing UNICEF figures, Ms Rabiu said 44 per cent of girls in Northern Nigeria were married before the age of 18. She also pointed to the prevalence of child marriage in Niger and Burkina Faso as evidence of the scale of the challenge across the Sahel.

She warned that early marriage could deprive girls of educational opportunities, limit their economic independence and perpetuate poverty across generations.

According to her, addressing the practice must be integrated into wider efforts to improve human development, prevent violent extremism and strengthen community resilience.

“When we end child marriage, we are not just saving a girl — we are saving the Sahel,” she said.

Ms Rabiu also expressed concern over the limited representation of women in security discussions, peace negotiations and policy decisions affecting their communities.

She argued that women in conflict-affected areas should not be regarded merely as victims of violence but recognised as essential partners in peacebuilding, conflict prevention and community recovery.

The foundation outlined three priority areas for tackling child marriage.

First, it called on governments and security agencies to strengthen school protection and ensure that girls can continue their education despite security challenges. It urged authorities to implement the Safe Schools Declaration and protect educational institutions from attacks and other threats.

Second, the foundation called for greater collaboration with traditional rulers, Islamic scholars and teachers in Tsangaya and Islamiyya schools to challenge practices that expose girls to early marriage.

Ms Rabiu said economic hardship should not be used to justify child marriage or to misrepresent religious teachings.

“Marrying off a 12-year-old who has seen no menstrual cycle is not Islam — it is poverty using religion as cover,” she said.

Third, she urged state governments, donor organisations and United Nations agencies to provide direct funding and stronger support for local women-led organisations working in conflict-affected communities.

She said such organisations often possessed the local knowledge and community relationships needed to respond to emergencies, support vulnerable families and prevent young people from being drawn into violent groups.

As part of its activities to mark the International Day of the Girl Child, the Kalthum Foundation for Peace said it would engage 200 adolescent girls who had escaped child marriage and returned to school across three communities in Maiduguri.

Ms Rabiu said the initiative would provide the girls with an opportunity to share their experiences and participate in conversations about their rights, education and future.

She called on girls across Northern Nigeria and the Sahel to remain hopeful and pursue their educational ambitions despite the social and economic barriers they face.

“Your education is your right. Your voice is your power. Your marriage must be your choice, not your family’s survival strategy,” she said.

The foundation reaffirmed its commitment to advocating for a society where every girl can access education, live free from violence and participate in decisions that shape her future.

The International Day of the Girl Child is observed annually on October 11 to promote girls’ rights and draw attention to the barriers preventing them from reaching their full potential.

Media Contact:
Kalthum Foundation for Peace
Email: info@kalthum4peace.org