We’re excited to announce that GGAC’s second annual Essay Competition for young Nigerian girls is now accepting submissions. This year, the essays will answer the following question:
If you became the president of Nigeria, what would you do to ensure that more Nigerian girls and women become politically active and choose to run for office in your administration? What are the benefits of having more women in politics in Nigeria?
Around the world, there has been a surge in efforts to encourage women to participate in politics. A declaration made at the fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing advocates for at least 30 percent fem ale representation in elected and appointed positions. However, in Nigeria, the current national average of women’s political participation is roughly 7 percent. This is in spite of the fact that Nigeria’s own National Gender Policy (NGP) recommends at least 35 percent female representation in elected and appointed positions. Since women make up 50 percent of the country’s population, it is important that their rights, opinions, and views play a role in shaping the politics of the country.
Eligibility
The competition is open to Nigerian girls between the ages of 10 and 19. To be eligible, all essays must be written in English and be a maximum of 2,000 words. All essays will be reviewed by a panel of independent judges, who will evaluate all submissions against three criteria: The quality of arguments, grammar and vocabulary, and overall flow.
Awards
The top three essays will win recognition and financial awards. Winning essays will be published on the Give Girls A Chance website and authors will win the following:
First prize: N30,000
Second prize: N20,000
Third prize: N10,000
How to Apply
Entries should be emailed to info@givegirlsachanceng.org. Deadline to submit is 31st October. [NOTE: The deadline for submissions has been extended to 15th November]
About the Award
The Give Girls A Chance Essay Competition was launched in 2017 as part of the Give Girls A Chance Foundation’s efforts to increase access to quality education for the Nigerian girl child. The competition aims to give young Nigerian girls the opportunity to foster constructive and innovative ideas to address Nigeria’s development challenges.