The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has set up an investigation panel on allegations of sexual harassment and gender based violence.

This was in commemoration of the international day of the girl child, to ensure justice to victims of any form of sexual harassment and gender based violence in cases brought to its knowledge.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Anthony Okechukwu Ojukwu, disclosed this in a statement.

He further stated that the day provided a very unique opportunity for government and well meaning stakeholders to refocus attention to all issues inhibiting the development of girl child and by implication women; and commit to providing durable solutions to them.

The Executive Secretary recalled the reasons that gave rise to the setting aside of the day which is to address some man-made discriminatory stereotypes in many societies which gravely inhibit girl child development leading to violation of their rights in many societies around the world.

He further called on stakeholders to pay closer attention to the girl child especially in the North East and other parts of Nigeria affected by conflict, adding that conflict situations aggravate vulnerability of the girl child.

He listed some other vulnerabilities of the Nigerian girl child to include early marriage, Sexual and Gender based violence, girl child headed households, trafficking, child labor, poor access to educational opportunities, etc.

Ojukwu explained further that the Commission has continued to fine tune its operations with a view to paying closer attention to the needs of the girl child.

According to him, the Commission championed the domestication of the UN Convention of the Rights Child through the passage of the Child Rights Act in 2003 and continues to play facilitation roles in the passage of Child Rights Law in all the states. Presently, the Child Rights Law has been passed in 24 out of the 36 states in Nigeria.

He said plans are under way to facilitate the passage of the child rights law in the remaining states within the next 4 years.

In order to realize this objective, the Commission has restructured its operations to establish a dedicated department to Women, Children and other vulnerable Groups in the Commission.

The ES concluded by charging all stakeholders to remain focused on the main objective of the girl child day when it was first celebrated in 2012, which is to empower girl child and women to actualize their rights and meet their needs.

He enjoined every organ of society to join hands in the struggle for the actualization of their rights through legal frameworks, policy, education, advocacy and training.

The Commission further used the opportunity to urge all Nigerians to join hands with it to protect rights of the girl child and women.