By Temitope Musowo
Wife of the governor of Lagos State,
Bolanle Ambode, has urged women in the state, to pay due attention to their
health and speak out against social vices like domestic violence, child abuse,
rape and teenage pregnancy.
She gave the charge at a women’s
forum organised by her, at the Police College, GRA, Ikeja, to address issues of
women’s health and recurring social vices in the society.
Mrs Ambode noted that good health
was a prerequisite for every other thing, including good attention to children
and family, business and even political activities, stressing that without good
health, nothing meaningful could be achieved.
According to her, "health is
wealth’ they say, because good health is the gate way to everything. To have
good health, we need to take care of our body, mind and soul.
"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."
The governor’s wife who condemned
the high rate of prevalence of social nuisance in the society, told the women
to boldly voice out their discontent against domestic violence, child abuse,
rape and teenage pregnancy.
She described the attitude as
barbaric and unacceptable in civilized climes, charging women to seek to know
their rights under the law, to shun silence and be vocal voices for their own
cause.
Mrs Ambode 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 the women of their
natural role as mothers and coordinators of the family unit, which according to
her, imposed on them the salient responsibility of bringing up their children
in the most decent way for a decent and moral society.
Speaking at the event, Deputy
Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Oluranti Adebule, said the forum provided a
platform where women could engage in sustainable discourse, to increase their
knowledge and enhance their awareness, on health and well-being as
participants.
Adebule said it was unfortunate that
23 years after countries signed pledges in 1995 Beijing Declaration and
Platform of Action, women still faced many health-cum-social problems,
saying that there was need for recommitment to address them.
She urged Lagos 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 Lagos 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.
Adebule, however, appealled to all
women to join hands with the government in the battle against dogmas inimical
to healthy lifestyle, social malaise of domestic violence, child abuse, rape
and teenage pregnancy.
Speaking on the topic: "Be the
Voice against Child Abuse and Teenage Pregnancy, "Mrs Modupeola Adebambo
of the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, submitted that children who were
sexually abused, tended to be sexually active thus exposed to teenage
pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and alcoholic addiction, among others.
She appealed to parents not to abuse
their children in whatever form, adding that parents should teach their
children sex education to make them aware of the danger inherent in sexual
abuse.
Director, Office of Public Defender,
OPD, Olayinka Adeyemi, who spoke on domestic violence and rape, urged
women to speak out against domestic violence and report such cases to the OPD
for immediate legal action.
While the duo of Mrs. Rashidat
Hassan and Mrs. Akintunde Ibironke of the Ministry of Health, advised the women
to go for regular checks, for early detection of ailments.
The programme came in two sessions, with
the first session dedicated to general health screening, cancer screening
and distribution of 500 free eye glasses while the second session was devoted
to health talks and topics on issues of social vices.
All dignitaries at the event took a stand
against domestic violence, child abuse, rape and teenage pregnancy, and
encouraged healthy living.
The programme saw over 3000 women in
attendance.
