Mrs Makinde Urges Collective Action Against Gender-Based Violence As She Emphasizes Importance of Speaking Up and Reporting Incidents of Harassment or Abuse

… As Unite Against Violence Against Women and Girls Campaign Aims to Raise Awareness and Promote Zero Tolerance

The Wife of Oyo State Governor, Engr.Tamunominini Makinde, has emphasized the importance of collective action in combating violence against women and girls.

Speaking at a sensitization program held at St.Bernadine’s Girls Grammar School, Oyo Mrs. Makinde stressed that it is the collective duty to fight against sexual and gender-based violence.

The theme of the program, “Unite against violence against women and girls,” highlights the need for a collaborative effort to eradicate this menace.

Mrs. Makinde noted that today’s sensitization program is a vital step towards creating more awareness about sexual and gender-based violence.

She Makinde expressed her belief that the stakeholders present would do justice to the questions raised during the program.

The program was attended by key stakeholders, including representatives from the Ministry of Health, Justice, Social Welfare, Civil Defence, and community leaders.

The First Lady emphasized the importance of educating and enlightening people about gender-based violence.

She noted that the goal of the program is to reduce the incidence of gender-based violence in the state.

Mrs. Makinde urged students present at the program to take an active role in the fight against sexual and gender-based violence.

She reminded them that their bodies belong to them and that nobody has the right to touch them without their consent.

The First Lady also emphasized the importance of speaking up against sexual and gender-based violence.

She encouraged students to report any incidents of harassment or sexual violation to their parents, the police, or any trusted adult.

Mrs. Makinde’s campaign against gender-based violence is part of a broader effort to promote a culture of respect and dignity for all individuals.

In his remarks, The representative of the Ministry of Justice, Mrs Awosemusi charged victims of gender based violence to report any of the cases of GBV to police and ensure they visit hospital for treatment.

In her address, the representative of Nigeria Police Force, Chief Superintendent of Police, Funke Aiyenigbara said that there is physical, emotional, and psychological abuse saying that it imperative for every victims to speak up and not die in silence.

In her remarks, The Commissioner for Special duty, Alhaja Fausat Joke Sanni said that it is not only the female that suffered sexual abuse but prevalent in women and girls but do suffered abuse.

She encouraged men usually suffered any form of abuse to speak up noting that whatever abuse done to men who raped and abuse girls can also be done to such men.

Speaking to the newsmen, A student of St Bernadine’s girls grammar school, Kemi Ajenifuja called on governments at all levels to provide counselor in all schools to help victims that suffered any kind of abuse.

She expressed her gratitude to Her Excellency, the wife of Oyo State Governor, Engr. Tamunomini Makinde for her motherly role to boost female in the state self-esteem and her great impact on female students in the state.

The program was a significant step towards raising awareness about gender-based violence and promoting a culture of zero tolerance for this menace.

As Mrs. Makinde emphasized, it is our collective responsibility to fight against gender-based violence and promote a safer and more equitable society for all.

The Schools that participated in the campaign are; St Bernadine’s Girls Grammar School, Oyo, Community High School, Durbar, Oyo, Anglican Methodist Secondary School 1, Oyo, Community High School, Ajagba, Oyo, Durbar Grammar School, Durbar, Oyo, and Anglican Methodist Secondary School, Oyo.