The Ogun State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Adijat Adeleye on Tuesday called for the support of Federal Government to improve on the care for the survivors of gender based violence in the state.
Adeleye made this call while speaking during the visit of the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim to the the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) and the Women Development
Centre at Asero, Abeokuta.
The Commissioner said that the four SARC centres one each in Abeokuta, Sagamu, Ijebu Ode and Ilaro were built to serve as comfort zone for victims of gender based violence even as they undergo healing and navigate their lives out of such terrible experiences.
Adeleye said that "Particularly, the SARC and Women Development Centre that we are showcasing today were deliberately cited side by side, because we believe that healing must go hand in hand with rebuilding.
"At the SARC, survivors
come in with pain, but they do not remain defined by it. Here, wounds are treated, tears are wiped, voices are restored, and shattered lives begin the journey to wholeness again"
"The vision is simple but profound: when a woman walks out of the SARC, she should not only be healing, but also building. She should be walking into a space
where she can pick up her dignity, learn a trade, gain financial literacy, embrace entrepreneurship, and prepare for a new life of independence".
While at the SARC centre, Adeleye said that such survivors of gender based violence can embrace vocational training in catering and hospitality, hairdressing and barbing, Make-up, headgear tying, tailoring among others.
The Commissioner while commending Gov Abiodun for his unprecedented support for women development in the state has however called for more of federal government support so as to be able to do more and make life more comfortable for the women and the children in the state.
She stated further that while the state may celebrate its modest achievements there is still lots of work to be done pleading for the federal government increased support for the women and survivors of gender based violence
Adeleye said that "What we need now is increasing greater Federal Government support. More funding for intervention projects, grassroots awareness, stronger policies, and
wider programmes that ensure no survivor slips through the cracks.
"If Ogun State has lit the fire of protection and empowerment, we ask that the Federal Government
pour more oil that makes the flame impossible to quench".
Speaking at the event, the Minister challenged women across the country to join forces with the present administration to heighten campaign against human trafficking in the country.
Hajiya Sulaiman-Ibrahim lamented that it was unfortunate that many Nigerian girls who were trafficked under the guise of non-existent juicy employment are languishing in several countries across the world.
The Minister said that mothers must hold dear their daughters and help do a lot of sensitisation to check this ugly and this disturbing trend.
Hajiya Sulaiman-Ibrahim while hailing President Bola Tinubu's unprecedented commitment to improving on the fortunes of the women in the country added that it is also the hope of the present administration to produce several women billionaires entrepreneurs, farmers among others even as the country works towards achieving its $1trn economy.
She declared that President Tinubu is not the type that gives handouts or play lips service to women development saying that this accounted for the consistent increase in the budgetry allocation for the Ministry of Women Affairs while same have also been replicated at the state level.
The Minister explained that "The women must take advantage of this season, it is a season I called women o' clock. It is women o' clock under President Tinubu's administration.
"The typical Nigerian woman is phenomenal, hardworking, visionary, reliable and dependable. Through the renewed hope social intervention launched by Mr President for women, for children, our families and the vulnerable, we are going to achieve all our goals socially, economically and politically.
"It means that we shall begin to witness the rise of women billionaires, women billionaires farmers, women billionaires entrepreneurs, it means that our work will translate to values in the hands because Nigerian women are hardworkers.
"Mr President has goal of $1trn dollar and currently we are at $500bn as country this means that all of us can really achieve our targets and become that which we want to be, so we must all be ready to work to achieve this lofty goal"
While calling on the women to help intensify campaign against human trafficking, the Minister said that "our daughters are littering several countries taking out under the guise of getting them employment. Let's please hold our daughters to our hearts, there are lots of beautiful opportunities for them in Nigeria.
"Let's do a lot of sensitisation around this challenge for our daughters. Our girls are being trafficked for all kinds of demeaning and criminal enterprises. We want them here in Nigeria, we have better use for them here... when they go out who will help us build the country?.
"Let's safeguard them against all sorts of attacks and exploitation, and anyone of them that want to go should go through the right route and not just under one funny arrangement. We must show everybody that we can be master at home, in the boardroom and the other room. We must do a lot more to protect our children".
The Minister said that President Tinubu and his wife, Sen Oluremi Tinubu are irrevocably committed to ensuring the well-being of the women, the children and building a very strong family saying that the women must continue to reciprocate the presidential gesture with more support to build a more virile and prosperous nation.
She lauded the Ogun State government investing massively in women development and well-being saying that the establishment of the Sexual Assault Referral Centers at Abeokuta, Sagamu, Ilaro and Ijebu Ode as well as the Women Development Centre are already making the state a model for other 36 states to study.
The Minister urged the state government not to rest on their oars and announced donations of bags of rice and cash sum of N2m to further support the state in its drive to creating better opportunities for the women.
The wife of the governor, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun also hailed the Minister's favourable disposition to supporting Nigerian women pledging that Ogun women will always support President Tinubu and his wife, Sen Oluremi Tinubu in their determined bid to build a more prosperous nation and empower more women.
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