Rasaq Ibrahim Ado-Ekiti
Non-Governmental Organisation, Balm in Gilead Foundation for Sustainable Development (BIGIF), has called for more efforts in the war against sexual and domestic violences against women and the girl-child across the country. The organisation’s Executive Director, Mrs. Olawatumininu Adedeji, who lamented the increasing incidences of violence against women, said all must be on deck to fight the war against the bestial crime. Adedeji spoke yesterday in Ado Ekiti at the 4th annual public lecture organised by BIGIF in collaboration with the Netherland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the theme: ‘Consolidating the Gains of Gender Advocacy’.
She commended the Governor Kayode led-administration for its efforts at ensuring that rapists have no hiding place in the state through implementation of policy frameworks antithetical to sexual violence. She, however, called on parents and guardians to safeguard their children and wards against violence and molestation, urging people to speak up against those indulging in those criminal activities. In his lecture, Dr. Taiwo Adefisoye, who lamented the growing cases of sexual harassment of the girl-child, said one of the greatest challenges inhibiting the fight against gender-based violence was lack of political wills among the public servants.
He, however, implored government at all levels to demonstrate enough political wills to stem the tide of violence against women in the country. Adefisoye warned that no offender should go unpunished without damning the consequences of his heinous activities, saying that rape and domestic violence are crimes and must be treated as such.
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