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| L-R: Ondo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Omowumi Olatunji-Edet, Her counterpart in the ministry of information and strategy Yemi Olowolabi and Emmanuel Igbasan of the Economic Planning and Budget Ministry addressing journalists after the weekly state Executives Council meeting, in Akure on Wednesday. |
Violence Against Children in line with the Federal Government action
plan.
Executive Council meeting, the State Commissioner for Women Affairs and
Social Development, Hon. Omowumi Olatunji-Edet said council approved
the launch of the Violence Against Children, VAC, logo and campaign,
aimed at waging war against violence on children in accordance with the
Federal Government action plan.
The Commissioner added that a Trust Fund would also be established for
the purpose of ensuring that the aggressive campaigns needed across the
state are not hampered by any logistics.
She regretted that, cases of violence and abuse against children in the
state have not been adequately reported due to fear of stigmatization
and family orientations but expressed hope that such would soon be
things of the past with the new policy direction of the State
Government.
“It has been discovered that incidences of violence have not been
adequately reported before now because of stigmatisation and family
orientations.
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“These are what VAC will address. It will protect families and children that are involved.
“We want to assure the children we are for them as government will now
be up and doing in its efforts at getting the children off the streets,
because it is an abuse for a child to hawk in the streets or do menial
jobs to keep the family going, when he is supposed to be in the
classroom.
“Government will embark on advocacy, sensitization and will involve
families to let the children understand their rights because the law is
there and the implementation of the law is key to us”, she said.
Hon Olatunji-Edet disclosed that social workers would be allowed to
visit the schools with a view to intimating the children with the
provisions of the law that protects them whenever they are faced with
any or different forms of abuses and the need for them to speak out.
The Commissioner who said that parents too would be involved in the
fight believed there must be effective collaborations between the
families and the school authorities for government to succeed in
stamping out all forms of Violence Against Children in the state.
“Government can not work in isolation. It’s plan can only thrive through
these organs. We need them to keep us informed adequately for prompt
action.
“Of a truth, we are trying to encourage children and parents to speak
out, notify the government to enable it swing into action”, she said.
While corroborating her, the State Commissioner for Information and
Orientation, Mr Yemi Olowolabi said an inter-ministerial committee would
be constituted to ensure the successful implementation of the Action
Plan.
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