Group task gov on checking child, domestic violence with better sensitisation

The President, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Debo Adeniran, and the Lagos State Coordinator of the Child protection Network, Mrs, Aderonke Oyelakin have called on Lagos State government and local councils to sensitise and educate the citizens on the laws on child rights, domestic and gender based violence to check incidents of child, domestic and gender based abuses.

They stated this at a roundtable organised by Centre Against Injustice And Domestic Violence (CAIDOV), maintaining that it would reduce the violation of the law and abuse of children’s rights.

Adeniran noted that the girl child is violated from birth by fathers who feel disappointed by their birth.

He, however, emphasised the need for women to assert their rights if they would be respected, especially those being obstructed by culture.

Adeniran noted: “There are inadequate laws to protect them. Parents also collect dowries on them and they are sometimes sold into slavery. The girl child is seriously violated. Most times the girl child is made to do household. Females even violate themselves. Women should be bold as they can become anything in life.”

The Executive Director of CAIDOV, Comrade Gbenga Soloki, said domestic violence impacts individuals and families across the nation.

“Our law enforcement agencies are striving hard to address this social migraine, the truth however, remains that these institutions and a couple of others with statutory mandates are overwhelmed.

“We feel strongly that we must bring this crusade to doorsteps of grassroots dwellers and governance. How do we put an end to neglect and abdication of roles and responsibilities at the domestic fronts, child marriages, witchcraft accusations, children trafficking and exploitation, and, rising waves of young persons’ conscription into armed terrorism, banditry, drugs abuse, crimes and prostitution?

“Let us tarry to examine how collaboration and synergies of all social stakeholders and the CSOs can help to eliminate the stigmas associated with domestic violence and child abuse. At the end, we must create awareness, design abiding institutional frameworks for reporting as well as seeking help for victims of this social violence instead of being turned into villains.”

Similarly, the Chairman, Amuwo Odofin Local Council, Valentine Buraimoh said that women are contributing their quota and they are still contributing; reason he said they should be given more opportunity to serve the nation.

He added that with a higher population compared to men, he wondered why more women are not in positions of authority.

He claimed that there is equal representation of women in his cabinet because his administration knows the importance of women to successfully running the govt. He further said women must be given the rights to take up responsibility.

Similarly, Dotun Ajulo, Chairman Lagos Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) represented by Abass Oyeyemi: called for more sensitisation and enlightenment about the law so that the citizens can better understand the law and be able to abide and obey the law.