Parents and caregivers in Lagos State have been urged to ensure adequate protection of their children against any form of abuse.
They were also advised to quickly report any case of child abuse to concerned authority for proper investigation and rightful punishment on the perpetrators of such act.
The State the through the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) and the Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA) are sensitising about 400 parents under Education District II, to be abreast of knowledge and information on how to prevent abusive acts on their children.
Protect children
Speaking at the Parents Association Conference on Child Safeguarding at Adeyemi Bero hall, Ikeja, the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi explained that it has become expedient to protect children from abuse that could lead to violence.
She explained that the conference was designed to enlighten parents on the process of reporting cases and show them how to prevent violence in form of domestic and sexual acts, and the process that can be adopted to raise thier children to become more responsible in the society.
Vivour-Adeniyi who was represented by Dr. Olive Oluwagbemileke noted that punishment has not been an effective tool to correct wrong behavior of children, rather than discipline, stressing the need to explore other mild ways of reprimanding children for wrong doings.
According to her “When parents are frustrated about child wrong behavior, they want the child to suffer for that and this has led to violence in the society and illicit rebellion and aggressive behavior from the child.”
Multi-agencies efforts
The Director General Office of Education Quality Assurance. Mrs. Abiola Seriki-Ayeni, who was represented by Director Monitoring and Investigation of the agency, Mr Kamardeen Akodu also noted that the meeting was to review activities of the multi-agencies involved in the protection of child rights in the State.
He said the agencies monitor schools and investigate cases of children below the tertiary institutions, such as primary and secondary schools both in private and public.
According to him “Any case of abuse involving children of school age, we work with DSVA Youth and Social Development Police, Ministry of Justice, health and other agencies to ensure the case is adequately investigated.
“We are also concerned about the protection of remaining children in that school
If one child has been abused, we concentrate on the school to see what the management of the school have to protect other children and we engage the school management and to ensure that such act doest not happen again.”
“Where the school is found responsible for exposing the children to insecurity and we notice that the level of exposure Is so high such that children are not safe in that school, we can shut that school while we guide the school to do the right thing.”
He said academic activities shouldn’t stop, while investigation and procedures to the closure of schools are in progress.
Collaborations
The State Coordinator of the Bimbo Odukoya foundation and the Child Protection Network, Mrs Aderonke Oyelakin said the essence of the conference was to emphasise collaborative effort as a way to instill good values in Children and enlighten parents on how to curb all forms of violence against children in Lagos State.
Signs to watch out for
She said DSVA organised the event to enlighten them on the signs to watch out for and how to prevent thier children from such any form of abuse.
Oyelakin who identified that abuse could come in form of neglect, exploitation, sexual, physical or emotional explained that it has become imperative for parents to know the laws of the land, particularly, that has to do with Child right and what government has put in place to protect the children at all levels
“Parents should be able to educate thier children with the basic information about thier body parts. Don’t hide anything from them.
There must be Zero tolerance against any form of abuse of children and we must be ready to fight the perpetrators of this dastardly act, and collectively we have to fight it out of our society.”
She however enjoined parents to be intentional and be friends with their children as well as observe what goes around them in order to secure a better future for them.
Optimal protections
The Chairman Parents Forum Education District II, Mr Abdul-Wasiu Jenrade lauded the initiative by DSVA to bring together parents and shed more lights on the need to ensure optimal protection of children.
He said “Whatever happen to our children is the cause of the parents, the conference is an eye openers for everyone to take congnizance of the fact that we must key into this noble reservoir of knowledge to further safeguard our children.”
He acknowledged the State Government for putting adequate measures in place for everyone to be able to use the various platforms to exclalate matters of any form of abuse on children.
Some of the participants also lauded the initiative of the DSVA and other relevant agencies for convening such a forum, as they urged schools to adopt a Child Protection Policy and paying maximum attention to their children wellbeing.
Lateefah Ibrahim
