By Palma Ileye
As the world marks the International Day of the Girl Child 2025 under the theme:”The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead: Girls on the Frontlines of Crisis,” SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria, SOSCVN, has called for a must shift from policies to implementation of renewed investment and coordinated action to empower girls to become innovative leaders for global impact especially in Nigeria.
According to a press release signed by Eghosa Erhumwunse, National Director, SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria to commemorate the Day, Nigeria stands as one of the nations with the greatest potential to thrive, yet across the country, girls continue to bear the heaviest burden of crises.
The statement disclosed that in 2024 alone, over 1.2 million people were displaced by flooding, with approximately 610,000 affected and 225,000 displaced across 29 States.
Erhumwunse stated that in Borno State, already strained by more than a decade of conflict, flooding displaced over 150,000 children, forcing many into temporary shelters with limited access to education, healthcare, and protection services.
These figures the National Director said, reveal an urgent need for inclusive, child-centered responses that safeguard and strengthen the potential of girls living on the frontlines of multiple crises.
SOSCVN said, “Despite these challenges, SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria has witnessed remarkable progress among girls who are rewriting the narrative of crisis. Many who once faced displacement and loss are now rebuilding their futures through education, mentorship, and leadership opportunities.
“Through our humanitarian and resilience-building programs, young girls are leading peer groups, speaking against child marriage, developing entrepreneurship skills, and closing the gap in education and economic empowerment.
“Across Nigeria, more girls are also championing environmental sustainability as eco champions, from tree planting and waste management initiatives to advocating for gender-responsive climate action—showing that resilience is not just survival, but leadership in action.”
It noted that empowering girls to lead change was both a moral imperative and a strategic pathway to building resilient societies pointing out that the girl was a leader, a reservoir of untapped potential, strength, and creativity.
The organization stated that across crisis-affected communities, “We have seen girls who refuse to be silenced by hardship, they rise above fear, innovate through adversity, and lead with compassion.
“They are not victims; they are the heartbeat of transformation, the change we hope to see in our world. True change does not come when we remain static; it comes when we move — when we empower, educate, and equip girls to take motion toward purpose. When we invest in the potential of the girl child, we invest in the future of our communities, our nation, and our planet.”
SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria said it remains committed to working alongside government Ministries, development partners, civil society, and the private sector to prioritize girl-centered programs, expand access to education and digital and leadership skills, and create safe spaces for participation and innovation adding that by placing the Nigerian girl at the heart of sustainable development, “We can ensure she not only survives crisis — but leads change and drives global impact.”
