Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr. Oluranti Adebule and wife of the governor, Mrs Bolanle Ambode yesterday urged women to speak out against domestic violence, child abuse, rape and teenage pregnancy, among other vices.
They spoke at the Lagos Women’s Forum held at the Police College, Ikeja.
The event was organised to address women’s health and recurring social vices in the society.
Adebule said it was unfortunate that 23 years after the Beijing Declaration, women were still facing many health-cum-social problems.
She urged women to embrace sustainable advocacy and take conscious action on matters concerning their health and how they were treated by the society at large.
“We should no longer be stereotyped into silence but become vocal advocates for improved health delivery system and social justice for women in the state and the country.
“As critical stakeholders, our role must be focused on investing and increasing access of more girls and women to good health, quality education; ensuring that laws that respect and ensure the rights of women are enforced and help create gender-posture media messages that support women and girls in distress,” she said.
Mrs Ambode urged women to speak out against domestic violence, child abuse, rape and teenage pregnancy.
She said: “Importantly too, we would be examining the rights of women under the law, in the face of persistent social problems. When we know our rights, we can speak better and act better, to protect ourselves if and when those circumstances arise.”
She reminded women of their role as mothers and coordinators of the family unit, which according to her, imposed on them the responsibility of bringing up their children in the most decent way for a decent and moral society.
According to the governor’s wife, good health was a prerequisite for every other thing, including good attention to children and family, business and even political activities.
“It is when we have good health that we can run around for business, take care of our homes, our children or engage in political activities. When we have sound health, we can better attend to all issues and concerns,” she said.
Mrs Modupeola Adebambo, a director from the Ministry of Youth and Social Development said sexually abused children tended to be sexually active and exposed to teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and alcoholic addiction, among others.
She appealed to parents not to abuse their children, urging them to teach their kids sexual education because of the danger inherent in sexual abuse.
Director, Office of Public Defender (OPD) Olayinka Adeyemi, urged women to speak out against domestic violence and report such cases to the OPD for legal action.
