Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has inaugurated the Gender-Based Violence Management Committee and the State Child’s Right Implementation Committee, with a renewed vow to rid the State of gender violence.
The Governor said the news of child’s right violation and women abuse that currently dominates the social media and other news media has confirmed that the enactment of the Gender-Based Violence Prohibition Law in 2011 was a step in the right direction.
Dr Fayemi stated that his administration has zero tolerance for gender violence and would continuously strive to make the society free of all forms of gender violence.
“Gender Based Violence is an issue that has assumed the proportion of a pandemic. It is pathetic to note that one in every five women will be raped, beaten, coerced into sex or abused in her lifetime and in conflicts.
“The situation is a pervasiveness of Gender Based Violence and its negative impact is borne by the victim, her immediate family and community. All of us must do everything in our power to prevent and end this ugly trend of violence in and around us and to support victims and survivors”, he said.
While lamenting the high rate of child’s right violation in recent times, the governor said the resuscitation of the two committees became imperative for special safeguard and care using appropriate legal protection, since most children are physically and mentally immature.
Fayemi urged members of the two committees to justify the confidence reposed in them and work towards making the State free of violence against women and children.
In her response, the Ekiti State First Lady and chairperson of the Gender Based Violence Management Committee, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, thanked the governor for inaugurating the two committees. She lamented that fight against gender based violence was discontinued in the State in 2014 shortly after the expiration of Fayemi’s first tenure.
The governor’s wife expressed delight that efforts have now been redoubled to push forward in the fight against gender violence.
Erelu Fayemi recalled that the Gender Based Violence Prohibition Law had gone a long way in addressing domestic violence in the State, adding that the committee set up on Child’s Right would ensure that no child in Ekiti State is denied his/ her fundamental rights.
