Burdened from Birth: How Societal Norms Steal Girls’ Futures
Introduction
On December 19, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly designated October 11 as the International Day of the Girl (IDG), with the aim to foster the rights of girls and face the distinct challenges girls across the world encounter. Thirteen years later, as we celebrate another IDG, it is fitting to reflect on the girl child predicament as the challenges remain staggering. Around the world, girls aged 5-14 spend a staggering 160 million more hours than boys of the same age range every day on unpaid care and domestic work. This is not just a disheartening statistic, but a profound indicator of the systemic inequities woven into the fabric of societies worldwide. In Nigeria, the situation is similarly dire. According to the World Bank Gender Data Portal, girls spend 30% more time on household chores compared to boys.
This imbalance deprives these young girls of the freedom to engage in educational, recreational, and personal development activities that could serve as a source of livelihood. It also reinforces deeply entrenched stereotypes and expectations that position them as primary caregivers, even before they fully understand the concept of gender roles. This impact can stretch far into adulthood and across generations, helping to reinforce these norms. This results in girls growing up with lower aspirations, fewer skills, and limited opportunities, making it more likely that they’ll end up in low-paid or unpaid roles, and with less financial independence overall.
Beyond maxims such as ‘educate the girl, educate the nation’, observances such as International Day of the Girl Child provide an opportunity to reflect on how society can address these injustices. The challenge often lies in identifying the underlying factors that led to these issues in order to develop effective and sustainable solutions. It also raises the critical question: how can we learn from the past to create a better future for the girl child?
A HISTORIC IMBALANCE
In pre-modern times, practices such as female infanticide were widespread, as the birth of a girl was viewed as a liability rather than a blessing, unlike the birth of a boy. In India, a popular saying likens having a daughter to “watering your neighbour’s garden,” reflecting the belief that girls were groomed primarily for their future in-laws’ families, with the financial burden of dowries resting heavily on their own families. As a result, the birth of a girl was often seen as an economic burden, leading to instances where new-born girls were killed to avoid the perceived burden.
Similarly, in many parts of Africa, such as Nigeria, the birth of a boy is celebrated with lavish ceremonies, as he is seen as a continuation of the family lineage and a source of pride for the father. The mother, too, is revered for producing a “heir” who will uphold the family’s legacy. In stark contrast, the birth of a girl is met with disappointment, and the mother is often blamed and shamed for not providing a “real child.” In extreme cases, the woman may be ostracised, sent away, or coerced into repeatedly attempting to conceive a male heir, despite potential health complications. Alternatively, she may be replaced by another wife in an unending cycle of gender-based discrimination and devaluation of the girl child.
Favouring of sons was also a concern in other country’s such as China. From 1979 to 2016, when the one-child policy was implemented, the ratio of boys to girls went from 106:100 to 121:100. The one-child policy was done to limit the great majority of family units in the country to one child each and manage the growing population, however, the girl child bore the brunt of these restrictions, as families seeking a son often resorted to abandoning, or worse, aborting female foetuses due to the preference for male heirs. This preference stemmed from patriarchal values that prioritised sons for reasons such as carrying on the family name and providing financial support in old age.
In recent times, the advent of technologies such as ultrasound has shifted the practice of female infanticide towards sex-selective abortions, as some clinics in countries like India and China have been reported to use early sex detection to terminate pregnancies involving female foetuses. According to recent reports from the United Nations Human Rights Council and Thomson Reuters Foundation, Nigeria is ranked ninth among countries practising female infanticide worldwide. Yet, because female infanticide in Nigeria is often carried out discreetly and is frequently denied by communities, it is difficult to determine its true extent. It leaves the worry that the true number could be even more.
CULTURALLY COMPROMISED
There is a strong correlation between the lack of educational opportunities for girls and their limited attainment of higher political status later in life. According to UNICEF, over seven million girls are currently out of school in Nigeria, with only 3.9 million enrolled at the primary level and 3.7 million at the junior secondary level. Alarmingly, 48% of out-of-school girls in Nigeria are from the North West and North East regions, areas severely affected by insurgent activities. These regions are plagued by threats from militant groups who target educational institutions, believing that formal education is not appropriate for girls. This hostile environment not only disrupts girls’ education but also diminishes their future prospects, ultimately affecting their ability to assume leadership roles in society.
The lack of a solid educational foundation for girls often forces them into child labour or, more tragically, child marriage. Despite the existence of various laws aimed at protecting these girls, there remains a significant lack of legal harmonisation. In Nigeria, the Child Rights Act of 2003 sets the minimum marriage age at 18, while the Sexual Offences Bill of 2015 controversially permits the age of sexual consent as low as 11. This inconsistency creates a legal loophole that undermines efforts to prevent child marriages and protect the rights of young girls.
Some of these harmful practices against the girl child have been perpetuated by religious and cultural beliefs, both in the past and present, which often reinforce harmful traditions. Strict religious taboos regarding female sexuality and purity are deeply rooted and both Christianity and Islam and emphasise the purity of a girl far more than that of a boy, placing a woman’s value on her chastity.
Religious leaders also frequently preach that a girl’s worth is tied solely to her purity, which has contributed to extreme practices like honour killings, where a woman is murdered by a family member for actions perceived to have brought shame or violated these rigid moral standards. In recent times, 5000 honour killings happen internationally per year. These numbers are regarded as estimates and are widely believed to be significant underestimates due to underreporting. In the rare instances where a man is prosecuted for such killings, the trial often centres around scrutinising the woman’s supposed behaviour rather than the violence inflicted upon her. Even when found guilty, the perpetrator can argue that the crime was committed to restore tarnished family honour.
HAPPILY EVER AFTER?
Marriage is also seen as a solution to get rid of the girl child. Approximately 650 million girls and women worldwide today were married before their 18th birthday, although an estimated 25 million child marriages have been prevented due to progress during the past decade. Yet child marriage, though less overt, still affects 12 million girls annually worldwide. In Nigeria, 30.3% of girls marry or enter a civil union before the age of 18 and 12.3% of them marry before the age of 15.
Child marriage is most common in the North West and North East of Nigeria, where 52% and 51.1% of women aged 20-24 were married before their 18th birthday. Research presents strong evidence to suggest that child marriage imposes significant social and economic costs on all levels of society. A 2017 World Bank/ICRW study estimated that ending child marriage could generate Nigeria an additional USD7.6 billion in earnings and productivity. The research highlights that child marriage not only limits girls’ health, education, and economic prospects, but also, imposes significant economic costs on the nation by reducing potential income and workforce participation.
FILLING THE GAP
To address the marginalisation of the girl child and promote her empowerment, several strategic interventions are necessary. It is crucial that promoting access to education be prioritised. Efforts should focus on increasing girls’ enrolment and retention in schools by providing scholarships, ensuring safe transportation, and creating gender-sensitive learning environments to significantly improve educational outcomes for girls. Social development foundations, like the Helpers Social Development Foundation which provides free education to indigent children in society, should be supported by the Government of Nigeria and corporate bodies to advance their efforts towards ensuring that children receive formal education before the age of 18.
Enhancing access to reproductive health services is also essential because it directly impacts the well-being and autonomy of women and girls, reduces maternal mortality, and promotes gender equality. This contributes to better health outcomes, reduces unwanted pregnancies, and lowers the risks associated with unsafe procedures, which are a leading cause of maternal mortality in regions where access is limited. Policymakers must prioritise comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education and services by Integrating Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) into School Curricula as part of the formal education system and should also support community outreach programs like SHE Talks that offer reproductive health services and education in local communities, making services accessible even in remote regions.
Female representation in leadership and political participation is vital and should be encouraged. Implementing quotas and affirmative action policies can increase women’s representation in politics and leadership roles, thereby challenging existing gender norms and empowering more women to take on leadership positions. Lastly, community-based advocacy and sensitisation are key to changing deeply rooted cultural norms. Local leaders, preachers, parents, and young people should be engaged in productive dialogues about the value of the girl child can help shift perspectives and eliminate harmful practices that perpetuate discrimination and marginalisation.
Although progress has been made, it remains insufficient. It is said that girls with dreams become women with vision. With the right opportunities and resources, the dreams and ambitions of the girl child are limitless and have the power to shape a better future. It is imperative that we continue to challenge harmful stereotypes and break down barriers so that we can nurture a generation of young girls who grow up to become strong, empowered women, leading change in every field.
Valeria Ogide is a Communication Officer at the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa).