The Lagos State Government on Tuesday commended the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) for being a development partner in Lagos and Nigeria.
The commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde gave the commendation at the 2017 seminar organised by the national chapter of NAWOJ to commemorate the International Day of the Girl-Child.
“Since inception, NAWOJ, through its state chapters has been a development partner with government at all levels.
“It has been championing service delivery in the judiciary, health, education and social sectors, by advocacy, campaigns and sensitisation programmes,” he said.
Ayorinde recalled a programme about peaceful co-existence, which was anchored in Ekiti and an anti domestic violence programme in Lagos, which had positive impact in addressing social problems in the nation.
The Commissioner represented by Mrs Olugbemi Ozojiofor, Director (Woman Editor) of the ministry, said that the girl-child was important to the state and the commitment of the state government was demonstrated in various programmes for women and girls.
He said that the state government had set the year 2017 apart for education and empowerment of women and girls in the state.
He said that the government had dedicated two ministries to the issues of of the girl-child to promote their growth and urged the girls in attendance to tap into the educative and skill acquisition opportunities available.
The commissioner advised parents and caregivers to become friendly with their girl child in order to nip problems of developmental stages of adulecence in the bud.
Also, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), Mrs Lola Akande, advised the school girls to seek financial empowerment through the various platforms offered by the state government before delving into motherhood.
The commissioner represented by Mrs Funmi Goodluck gave various guides on how victims of rape, domestic violence and other social ills against women could get help from the state government whom she noted had zero tolerance for violence against women.
Mr Steve Aborisade, Advocacy and Marketing Manager, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), a global international organisation that advocates for better healthcare for the girl child, said the organisation had donated one million pads to Africa with 330,000 to Nigeria alone.
Aborishade said that a new study had revealed that HIV and other reproductive diseases among girls were on the increase hence, the need to increase awareness of usage of sanitary pads and personal hygiene.
He said the organisation was currently in six states in Nigeria and were working in IDPs camps and working on improving distribution of sanitary pads across the nation.
“We have done studies and seen that some girls in IDPs camps need both sanitary pads and pants,” he said.
Earlier, Dr Esther Shomefun, an Adolescent, Sexual and Reproductive Health Officer, UNFPA, while delivering a lecture said that young girls between ages 10 to 19 accounted for about 600 million of global population, who were disappearing from international and global agenda.
Shomefun said that the girl-child was faced with inequalities in secondary education, forced marriages, female genital mutilation, male dominance and protection issues.
She said having access to sexual reproductive health information and education would make girls powerful to make informed decisions.
Shomefun said that parents were saddled with the responsibility of educating their girl-child and building their self esteem.
“It is the role of parents to teach their girl-child about their sexual health before other complementary bodies such as schools do so.
“Parents need to build the self esteem of their wards so that they are better informed and make decisions that would benefit them, ” she said.
She said that Lagos state in collaboration with UNFPA had provided adolescent and youth friendly centres where adolescents could seek information and get treatment where necessary.
According to her, there are six of those centres in the state, however the organisation hopes to increase the number.
Mrs Ifeyinwa Omowole, NAWOJ National President, while delivering her opening speech, said that the association began the “Speak Out, Speak Right” programme for girls in 2016 to bridge the development gap in the nation.
Omowole said that the programme, which held annually in October was to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child in Nigeria.
“Our aim is to train the girl-child, especially when they are in secondary school to imbibe in them the gender confidence they need to take over,” she said.
She urged the secondary school girls in attendance to be worthy ambassadors of the NAWOJ campaign.
“We want you (School girls) to be the right women to take Nigeria to that enviable height,” she said.
Miss Okunola Boluwatife, an SS3 student of the Lagos African Church Grammar School, Ifako Ijaye, said that the programme had improved her knowledge of her reproductive rights.
“I now know how to help my mates who have different problems and I now understand what I can do to prevent rape and help victims,” she told the News Agency of Nigeria