A non governmental organization, Hope for Second Chance Foundation has called on relevant stakeholders, government, parents, religious and community leaders to intensify effort to protect women and girl child against violence and sexual abuse.
The Director, Hope for Second Chance Foundation (HOSEC Foundation), Mrs. Ibukunoluwa Otesile, made the appeal during the press conference to commemorate this year’s International Day of the Girl Child, held at American Corner IACD Library, Magazine Road, Ibadan on the theme, Digital Generation, Our Generation.
Otesile disclosed that despite the fact that issues relating to women and girl child over the years continued to take centre of discourse, yet they remain subjects of sexual abuse, child marriage, denial of right to education, female genital mutilation and social, economic and political discrimination.
The HOSEC director expressed that her Foundation, being a non-governmental agency with a mission of recovery, rehabilitation, reformation and re-integration of girls who have been socially and psychologically displaced in the progression of the society, has responded to about 100 cases of sexual violence against girls in Oyo State this year.
Otesile explained that International Day of the Girl Child is globally observed on October 11 to advocate for the protection promotion of the safety and wellbeing of girls. She added that it is also used to empower and amplify the voices of girls all over the world.
“October 11 has thus been set as the day the international community acknowledges the importance, power, and potential of adolescent girls by encouraging the opening up of more opportunities for them. Integral part of the observance of the International Day of the Girl Child is eliminating gender-based challenges that little girls face around the world, including sexual abuse, child marriages, poor learning opportunities, violence, and discrimination.
Hosec Foundation is thus calling on all stakeholders; the government, state and non-state actors to increase the deliberate efforts to protect our girls. In that process, we should not forget the boys as they are also victims of violence.”
Otesile, therefore, called for exposing the girls to benefits coming from digital space especially at school by participating in robotics, artificial intelligence and other ICT trainings like male counterpart.
In her message, Mrs. Dupe Awosemusi, who is also the Coordinator, Oyo State Sexual & Gender Violence Based Response Team, Ministry of Justice, said that government has provided necessary machineries in terms of legal framework to achieve a better society.
She emphasized that all attention should not be centred on girl child alone, rather clamoured for balanced training for both girl and boy child to ensure even society.
Awosemusi, while appealing to fathers, religious and community leaders to embark on more sensitization for the boys particularly from home on how to be good ambassadors of their families, she maintained that the boys will play important role in the protection of the girls in the future.
Mr. Olajide Adesina, who is the Chairman, Advisory Council of Hope for Second Chance Foundation (HOSEC), called for a stop in the stigmatization of the girl child, saying that this is affecting them both mentally and psychologically.
He called for more support from government, religious, community leaders and all others relevant stakeholders to make the society better and worth living.
Mr. Adesina and Mrs. Awosemusi commended the Director of the foundation, Mrs. Ibukunoluwa Otesile for her effort and determination to improve the life of girl child and the community at large.
Packaged by Kunle Gazali
