By Abiodun Azi
Lagos. – Women’s Right and Health Project (WRAHP), a Non-Government Organisation (NGO),
on Monday, sensitised students of Igbo-Owu Junior Secondary schools on Social and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
The sensitisation took place in the school premises on the assembly ground.
Mrs Bose Ironsi, the Executive Director, WRAHP, said the Project built the capacities of 20 Civil Society Organisations (CSO)
in Oshodi Isolo and Ojo local government areas.
Ironsi said that the essence was for the CSOs to effectively respond to incidences of SGBV in communities on the project
titled “Building Capacity of CSOs to Promote Uptake of Justice-Related Social Services.”
She added that the project was funded by European Union and implemented by the British Council.
She said “SGBV remains a challenge among young persons in Nigeria; UNICEF reports that six out of 10 children
in Nigerian have experienced one form of abuse or the other.
“As part of efforts to address this challenge, there is an ongoing sensitisation being carried out to reach students
in 20 Junior and Senior Secondary schools in Oshodi Isolo Local Government Area.
“This initiative involves brief talks during school assembly session on Lagos State Protection Against Domestic
Violence; the students are given copies of the simplified edition of the law, Infographic on domestic violence
and process map.”
The director added that the programme had been impactful, as over 16,000 students in 17 schools were reached between
Sept. 26 and Nov. 7.
She said the activity was implemented by WRAHP in partnership with Renaissance Foundation for Peacebuilders.
She, therefore, implored the media to join the fight in breaking the culture of silence, and to focus on reportage of SGBV cases
so as to educate both the perpetrators and the survivors.
Mrs Yeside Olatobi, the Principal, Igbo-Owu Junior Secondary School, Lagos State, said that the programme was a positive
move that would educate students about things happening around them.
She said that with what the NGO told the students, they would be bold enough to report to the school counsellor or an adult whenever they abused.
A student, Ms Roqeebat Alli, said WRAHP had made her to know the different types of SGBV, and learnt the two types of secrets, which are the
bad secret and good secret, as well as appropriate and inappropriate touch.
She said that with the knowledge she gained, she can now walk up to the school counsellor, an adult or her parent to speak up whenever abused. (NAN)
