Lagos commissioner urges women, girls to protect selves from abuse

Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Folashade Adefisayo has called on women and girls in society to protect themselves from Gender Based Violence by reporting abuse meted to them.

Speaking recently at a public enlightenment programme on Covid-19 and Gender Based Violence ( GVB) organised by the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) in collaboration with Kosofe School Based Management Committee (SBMC), Adefisayo, who was represented by Toyin Ajayi, director, Policy, Planning Ministry of Education, observed that the girl child who invariably becomes the woman of tomorrow is faced with diverse challenges especially when it relates to genderbased violence, issue of rape, domestic violence, among others.

Such vices, the commissioner explained, were evidently prevalent in society, adding, “It is a trend that must be rid off from our society and if we must protect our women, girls, children and wards as well as entrenching a peaceful society, there must be a change in direction to salvage the trend to enable our women and girls achieve their full potentials and positioning them for social relevance and financial emancipation to enable them contribute their quota towards the development of our nation”.

Commending the organisers of the programme which came under the theme, ‘Enhancing participation of women in peace and human security in Nigeria’, she said, “It is quite interesting that you have beamed your focus on women and girls in Agboyi Ketu, Kosofe community. The grassroots are the core areas that need prompt attention especially with the urban areas moving at a fast pace with modern interventions in technology. Our communities must not be left behind. You will agree with me that girls grow up to women, hence the girl child in our communities need a more significant attention so as not to be left behind in the modern scheme of things.”

The commissioner also commended the effort of the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-olu in creating an enabling environment for women empowerment.