Kids & Teens Resource Centre in collaboration with Women Advocates, Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) funded by FORD Foundation has trained over 50 young women across different Associations on Leadership and Reporting Cases of Sexual and Gender Based Violence in Ile-Oluji Oke Igbo local government area of Ondo State.
In her speech, Executive Director Kids & Teens Resource Centre, Mrs Folashade Bamigboye educated the women on Gender Based Violence and how the current economic situation is further exacerbating GBV, hence, the need for those affected to report any case to the Community Response Team (CRT) for effective response.
She added that women in the community should work together and have a voice against GBV.
Mrs Bamigboye encouraged the participants to use their position of leadership in their various associations to educate and mentor other young women to ensure no woman is left behind in the fight to end Gender Based Violence.
Speaking on leadership at the training, Miss Olushola Balogun emphasized the need for women to be diligent when shouldered with leadership and other kinds of responsibilities because women are the catalyst for growth and development of their communities and nation at large. Stating that “when the aim is to grow and nuture, leave it in the care of a woman”. When women are in leadership positions, they will be able to advance the cause of other women, she added.
Also during her session on Role of a Mentor in leadership, Miss Oluwabukola Aremu said women must inculcate the habit of mentoring young ones to understand the dynamics of GBV and to profer lasting solutions to the plights of young women in their communities.
One of the participants, Stephen Sarah shared her experience on how mentoring helped her to start a fish pond business and how it is still running despite all the challenges she faced.
Also, the women leader of Persons Living with Disability, Mrs. Ademeko Busayo shared her experience on how PWDs are most vulnerable to most forms of abuse and solicit that the training should be done on a regular basis among the PWDs.
The community leader, Mr. Asojuomode appreciated WARDC and FORD Foundation for selecting their LGA to benefit from the program and thanked the facilitators on how they enlightened all the young women present on their role in the fight to end GBV; he encouraged the leaders to go back to their various associations to step down the training to other young women with the VAPP law and other IEC materials given to them.
The CRT members alongside the Iyalojas of Bamikemo and Ologundudu communities led the other young leaders in a rally from the venue of the event to the market place to sensitize the whole communty on what GBV is and what the law says about it.
The iyalaje, Mrs. Aleshiloye Titilayo and one of the CRT members, Mrs. Apalowo Olamide spoke on the need to end any form of Gender Based Violence and announced that it is now a criminal act and anyone found guilty should be reported to the CRT and immediate action will be taken against the perpetrator.
