The need to empower girls with sex education dominated speeches during an event to celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child in Nairobi.
Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris said many girls are abused sexually in the country because little is done to empower them with sex education.
Passaris added that it is time parents, guardians and teachers started talking about sex education to their children to enable them know what is wrong and right.
“We have the issue of denying the fact that we have to talk and have sex education conversations with our children because when a girl is told “hii ni tabia mbaya” (this is a bad habit), then when she is raped she cannot report because she feels she was part of it. It is sad that in some parts of the country we have a 23-year-old woman with four or even five children and that is not right,” said Passaris.
She was speaking at an event where Bridge International Academies launched a campaign in support of girls, as part of measures to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights.
“We need to assure our girls that they can actually achieve whatever dreams and goals they have. We are past the era where women were only seen as wives,” added Passaris.
Bridge International Academies Director Kagure Wamunyu called on Kenyans to support the education of girls and protect them from being discriminated in the job market.
“The message that I would want to send to everyone is that provision of education to girls is the greatest gift anyone can give to them and therefore let us nurture them, promote their skills and talent which will eventually turn them into girls who are super confident and super respected,” she outlined.
Latest United Nations statistics show that there has been an increase of 6 per cent in the number of girls who are not in primary school across the globe.
This year’s theme was “With Her: A Skilled Girl Force”.