Ekiti State Government has intensified its campaign against sexual abuse and other forms of Gender-based Violence.
Speaking in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, at the Training of Male Students on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Prohibition in the Public Schools, the governor’s wife, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, lamented the increasing rate of violence against girls not just in Ekiti, but all over the country.
Dr. Oyebanji said the battle against the scourge of Gender-Based Violence in schools in particular may not be totally won if schoolboys are not given the right orientation and enlightenment on its evils.
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The training, which was sponsored by the World Bank assisted Adolescent Girls’ Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE), was attended by officials of the Ministry of Education, Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) among others.
Dr. Oyebanji said it was of utmost importance to educate the male child on the prevention of violence to prevent abuse of fellow students in schools, especially girls and to ensure a peaceful society devoid of gender violence.
According to the governor’s wife, “all the efforts to make our schools and community spaces safe for our female students cannot be effective until the male gender is adequately trained on the causes and effects of their choices and actions.”
She encouraged the participating students not to be selfish with knowledge acquired at the training, but rather share with friends and neighbours to aid a desired violence free society.
The Ekiti State AGILE Coordinator, Mrs Yewande Adesua, said the training was primarily organised to enlighten the male students on preventing violence against girls and build a voice around ending the menace.