The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Oyebanji Filani, who said that the state has zero-tolerance for all forms of violence, including sexual exploitation and gender-based violence, said it required the cooperation of all.
Filani, represented by the Director, Public Health, Ministry of Health, Dr Abayomi Ibrahim, spoke in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday during the opening of a one-day workshop organised by the Nigeria COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Project, a World Bank-assisted project, Ekiti State.
He said, “I enjoin participants to utilise the knowledge acquired from this workshop to fuel public intolerance for all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, and Gender-violence in the state. The present administration will continue to work with stakeholders and partners to promote safety and security”.
CoPREP State Project Coordinator, Mrs Bosede Alowooye, who said COVID-19 came with some challenges, including different shades of sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, and GBV, said, “The project is to prevent, protect, detect, and respond to threats posed by the pandemic in Ekiti State” to eliminate such issues.
CoPREP Gender Pillar Coordinator, Mr Tolu Ogunniyi, said that the collaborative efforts of stakeholders across sectors culminated in the development of a state action plan featuring radio awareness campaigns, community engagements, training sessions, and policy advocacy.
Ogunniyi said, “The commitment to creating awareness, mobilizing community support and advocating for policy enhancements showcased a unified front against sexual abuse and exploitation and sexual harassment”.
The consultant to the project and Program Manager, Balm in Gilead Foundation for Sustainable Development, Mr Nelson Akerele, said, “The two-year action plan was developed to guide and facilitate stakeholders’ joint response to sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and GBV in Ekiti State”.
Akerele, who presented the development objectives for the state action plan 2024 – 2026, called on all stakeholders to join forces against all forms of gender violence.
Participants at the workshop adopted the state action plan as a working document and drew out quick action steps to address the short-term objectives of the plan.
PUNCH reports that Ekiti State Government and different stakeholders, including non-governmental organisations, have rolled out different plans and campaigns to eliminate all forms of sexual abuse and violence in the state.
