A non-governmental organization launched a program to boost Girl child education in Garissa County as well as fight retrogressive harmful cultural practices.
Speaking during the launch of the program dubbed ‘leave no girl behind’, the Action Aid regional coordinator Mr Yussuf said many girls are out of school while unknown number of them are facing harmful cultural practices such as female Genital mutilations.
He said the aim of the project is to reduce violence against girls in the county by empowering women groups and duty bearers by changing attitudes and increasing justice for survivors.
“Women and girls are at disadvantage point in the society because they are not involved in decision making, inheritance, decision on their children amongst others, we are also aiming at increasing their enrollment in schools,” he said.
The program was launched by Garissa Deputy Governor Abdi Dagane and attended by several members of Garissa County assembly and other senior county government officials.
The assembly’s Education committee chair Mr Diriye Bare said they are in the process of making stringent laws to ensure parents who don’t take their children to school are dealt with according to the law.
He said the county assembly will seek help from the national government to ensure harmful cultural practices that he said have derailed girl’s education are completely abolished.
“We also want the police and locals chiefs to be on the lookout and prosecute those denying their children right to education, as assembly we will enact laws that help boost enrolment of schools,” he added.
The MCA who is also ward representative of Damajaley also appealed to Non-governmental organization to extend their services to all villages so as help girls who are vulnerable.