Protection Practices Influencing Girl-Child Level of Empowerment in Selected Agrarian Communities in Nigeria

Abstract

Assumptions about capabilities of females and males result in different opportunities, access to resources and benefits. The study assessed the existing pattern of girl-child protection practices and the prevailing socio-cultural practices that affect her level of empowerment.  Multistage sampling technique was employed. Four United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) assisted States namely Oyo, Enugu, Kaduna and Bauchi States as well as Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja were purposively selected. Three Local Government Areas (LGAs) were selected from each of the four States based on level of food production, while one Area council was selected from Abuja.  One community was randomly chosen from the LGAs.  Ten each of girls, boys and adults were selected from the 13 communities to give a total of 390 respondents. Data were analysed using both descriptive statistics (percentages and frequency) and Pearsons Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). Only 68.20% of the respondents were between 10 and 20 years while 38.72 had no formal education.  Significant relationship exists in Oyo State only between access to western type of education (r=0.02) and the level of empowerment of the girl child. In Enugu State, significant relationship exist between the girl-child level of empowerment and health care provision (r=0.22), nutritional care (r=0.32), parental support/care (r=0.32), protection from physical abuse (r=0.30), and protection from difficult circumstances (r=0.35) while in Kaduna State, significant relationship exists between the girl-child level of empowerment and their health care provision (r=0.38). In Oyo State, of the socio-cultural practices, the level of empowerment of the girl-child had significant relationship with male preference (r=-0.30), early marriage (r=-0.24) and in FCT, early marriage (r=-0.44) and female subordination (r=-0.56) express significant relationship with girl-child level of empowerment. Access of the girl child to protection practices such as education, health care provision, nutritional care, parental support, protection from discrimination on the basis of gender affect her level of empowerment.  The removal of socio-cultural constraints such as lack of inheritance rights, nutritional taboo would enable her maximize her potentials. The socialization process needs to be modified to eradicate the gender division of labour.