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Ambode seeks stiffer punishment for sexual, gender-based violence offenders

By Yetunde Ayobami Ojo
10 August 2018   |   3:43 am
Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has called for review of laws to allow stiffer punishment for offenders of sexual and gender-based violence that pose threat to safety and security of women and girl-child.

Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, the Governor of Lagos State.<br /> Photo: Twitter/ AkinwunmiAmbode

Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has called for review of laws to allow stiffer punishment for offenders of sexual and gender-based violence that pose threat to safety and security of women and girl-child.

Ambode, represented by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Tunji Bello, disclosed this at the 18th Regular National Council Meeting on Women Affairs and Social Development in Ogba, Lagos.

He said to achieve social inclusion and integration for socio-economic development, issues of gender inequality, girl-child education, domestic violence, sexual abuse and others that have limited the capacity of women to achieve their full potentials, must be address decisively.

According to him, “in Lagos, the issue of sexual abuse and gender-based violence is being addressed relentlessly through the Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT).

“We believe that empowering the informal sector in which women constitute the majority will facilitate the process of socio-economic inclusion. This is the mandate of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (ETF) through which genuine and credible entrepreneurs are being financially empowered to grow their businesses and establish new ones.”

Also, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Senator Aisha Alhassan, in her speech, urged states to renew their Children Parliaments to allow them participate in all programmes that affect them.

Alhassan, who stated that the implementation is for the welfare and well-being of women, children, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, said: “The National Child Rights implementation committee was inaugurated to ensure the implementation of rights of the child under the act and all other instruments such as the African Charter of the Rights of the Child and the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child. This is in addition to the high level advocacy I have undertaken to the various states that are yet to domesticate the Child Rights Act and to ensure implementation by the states that have domesticated the law.”

However, in his goodwill message, Speaker, National Children Parliament, Master Maisara Abdulkadir Abass, called on Nigerian children to avoid any tendency capable of leading them to drug abuse.

He, therefore, commended the rule of law and anti-corruption programme for supporting the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in reinstating the National Children’s Parliament and National Child Right Implementation Committee.

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