PAGED Initiative Empowers Journalists to Spotlight Married Adolescents

By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna 

The Participatory Communication for Gender Development Initiative (PAGED Initiative) has taken a bold step to ensure the voices of married adolescents and adolescent mothers are heard, empowering journalists to report on the challenges these girls face while advocating for meaningful change.

Speaking at the opening of a two-day capacity-building workshop for media partners in Zaria,

on Married Adolescents and Adolescent Mothers Social Impact Project, Program Director Ummi Bukar emphasized that reporting alone is not enough. 

“We don’t just report issues, we follow through with advocacy to ensure that the needs identified are met.

“This workshop is designed to align media partners with our approach as we implement our Social Impact Project on married adolescents and adolescent mothers,” she said.

Bukar highlighted that married adolescents are a “largely invisible population,” often overlooked by policy and programming. 

“They are girls, yet they are married. They are mothers, yet still underage. This group does not neatly fit into existing categories, and as a result, they are often neglected,” she explained.

The initiative targets Kaduna, Kano, and Borno states, where early marriage, pregnancy, economic hardship, and cultural pressures drive school dropout among adolescent girls. 

Once married according to her, these girls quickly transition from classrooms to household responsibilities, childcare, and supporting extended families. 

She added that many experience isolation, loss of friendships, and the emotional strain of balancing domestic duties with aspirations for education.

Associate Professor Auwalu Halilu, a lecturer in the Department of Adult Education and Community Services at Bayero University Kano, provided an in-depth analysis of the daily realities facing married adolescents and adolescent mothers in Kano State. 

According to Halilu, adolescence is a critical period that should be dedicated to learning, skill development, and identity formation. Yet, for many girls in Kano, marriage interrupts this process.

“Many girls marry while still in the midst of adolescence, often before completing their education. Early motherhood follows quickly, leaving them without the skills, knowledge, and confidence to navigate adulthood,” Halilu explained. 

He noted that girls face multiple health risks, including limited access to maternal health information, higher rates of pregnancy and childbirth complications, and emotional stress. Nutrition, family planning, and early childcare challenges further compound their vulnerability.

Halilu also highlighted the economic consequences of early marriage and adolescent motherhood. 

“These girls often depend on their husbands or families for financial support. They have limited opportunities to earn an income, support their children, or contribute meaningfully to their households,” he said. 

He stressed that investing in girls’ education not only strengthens families but also has a broader impact on community development and social stability.

The professor drew attention to the psychological and social pressures faced by these young girls. 

“Many experience isolation, loss of friendships, and the sudden shift from childhood to adult responsibilities. Some girls regret leaving school and feel that returning is impossible,” he observed. 

He also noted that community perceptions of early marriage, often framed as protecting girls or maintaining family respectability, further complicate efforts to keep girls in school.

“Even when willing, married adolescent girls encounter numerous obstacles to returning to school. Domestic responsibilities, financial constraints, rigid school schedules, and social stigma make continued education difficult,” he said. 

Halilu emphasized that any effective intervention must consider these realities and engage families, husbands, and community leaders in designing solutions.

“Religious and community leaders are gradually recognizing the importance of girls’ education, seeing it as a long-term investment in family wellbeing,” he added.

Bukar also reiterated that the media plays a crucial role in amplifying girls’ voices, sharing success stories, and highlighting supportive families and husbands. 

“People have voices. Our role is to amplify voices that are unheard and ensure communities participate in telling their own stories,” she said.

The workshop equips journalists with skills in gender-sensitive reporting, human-interest storytelling, and ethical coverage of vulnerable populations. 

Media practitioners are encouraged to avoid stigmatizing narratives, use local languages for broader reach, and spotlight solutions alongside challenges.

The PAGED Initiative is committed to supporting married adolescent girls and mothers to return to school, reducing financial and social barriers to education, expanding flexible learning pathways including childcare support, and raising community awareness of the value of girls’ education. 

Bukar stressed, “Girls’ rights are human rights. Sometimes what appears as a choice like opting for early marriage is actually the result of limited options. Ensuring that girls have access to education benefits individuals, families, and communities.”

As Nigeria works to extend Universal Basic Education from nine to twelve years, initiatives like PAGED, backed by insights from experts like Auwalu Halilu, underscore the critical need for inclusive policies, community engagement, and media advocacy to protect the education and futures of adolescent girls.