‘Pamoja for transformation trust’ Gender and child rights officer Mariam Wambui in a mentoring and guidance session with Mbungoni primary pupils in Kilifi County. [Photo/Maxwell]
Kilifi County government has been challenged to work closely with Gender and child rights activists so that it contains early marriages among girls in the county.
The County government has been further challenged to come up with awareness programs on the importance of education to both girls and boys in the county.
Speaking at Mtwapa in Kilifi County, Gender and child rights officer from a Nongovernmental organization ‘Pamoja for transformation trust’ Mariam Wambui said that it was through such programs that Kilifi girl will be accorded the same assistance and education as the boy child.
Wambui said that through ‘Pamoja for transformation trust’ organization, she has been working with various primary schools among them Mtwapa primary school, Kibaoni, Mbungoni among other primary schools in Kilifi County enabling pupils to raise their voices whenever they are deprived of their rights.
Wambui said that by empowering children in the county, social problems among them early pregnancies, early marriages and school dropouts especially among girls will reduce.
“Apart from meeting children, we have been also meeting teachers and parents too in a bid to safeguard the interest of the girl child in Kilifi County,” she said.
The Gender and child rights activist at the Coast said that if parents become responsible then no child in Kilifi will miss education or denied his rights.
“Parent who marries off their 12-year-old girl should never be spared but punished according to the law,” she said.
Wambui appealed to Kilifi county government to use the already existing laws and if possible pass other laws which will force parents to value education and protect their children as well.
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