The Plateau Government on Tuesday says 37 rape cases have been reported in the state in the last one month.
Ms Fidelia Set’le, Assistant Director, Child Welfare, state Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, said this at the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) annual review meeting organised by the Bauchi UNICEF Field Office in Jos.
She also said seven cases of separated and unaccompanied children were reported with five of them re-united with their families and two still pending.
According to her, residents have been encouraged with the launch of the Violence Against Children (VAC) campaign in the state in September.
“As a result of the VAC campaign launch in September, we have been recording more people coming to report cases of rape in the state; this means people have become more aware.
“In the last one month, 37 rape cases were reported to us, and all of these cases are either pending or with the Police.
“Also, seven separated and unaccompanied cases were reported to us; we were able to reunite five with their families but two cases are still pending,’’ she said.
Set’le further stated that one case of child custody was also reported to the ministry.
She noted that numerous cases of violence against children in the state were still unreported.
The assistant director, however, expressed optimism that incidence of violence against children would be nipped in the bud in Plateau.
She called on relevant stakeholders to support government’s efforts to ensure that children in the state get a rosy future, devoid of violence. (NAN)