Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti

The First Lady of Ekiti State, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, has reiterated the Governor Kayode Fayemi-led administration’s commitment to continue putting in place legal and policy frameworks that would end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and other forms of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) practices in the state.

The Governor’s wife stated this on Wednesday, in Ado-Ekiti during an advocacy meeting with the State’s GBV management committee.

The meeting was organized by Care for Population and Reproductive Health (CPRH), an NGO working with Ekiti State Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC).

SARC, is saddled with the responsibility of taken care of survivors of sexual assault in Ekiti State.

She disclosed that Ekiti has all it takes to fight GBV, stressing that the state has in place laws to curb gender-based violence. These, according to her, include the Comprehensive GBV laws which is the first of such policy in the country as well as the whistle blower policy for FGM.

“Part of the provisions made for GBV victims include treatment, care and protection at the sexual referral centre and the provision of other interventions through the help of Office of the SDGs.

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“We now have other services, such as comprehensive support services, Permanent Shelter for victims in distress, community engagements (ownership), coordinating mechanism and the FGM task force who apprehend perpetrators.”

Speaking on the need for continued education on the menace, she said: “We need to educate our people. They need to be taught on how to apply the law into their lives, all I want to see is that the work gets done.”

Mrs Fayemi said Obinrin Kete Women Empowerment programme will be launched soon, added that the platform will provide a ground where women will be empowered to do some businesses to support themselves. She cited the case of Mama Jolaade Osho from Ikere-Ekit, who was being called many bad names before her office took over her case and eventually died with a sweet song in her mouth.

In his goodwill message, the Director of the Care for Population and Reproductive Health (CPRH), Prof. Oladosu Ogengbede said : “Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) can be prevented through the hard work of the committee to save the generation unborn. Let us see how we can impact positively.”

He also promised to partner with the First Lady and the State Ministry of Women Affairs to end GBV/FGM in the state.

In her remarks, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Alhaja Mariam Odunlade, thanked the First Lady for her great efforts in gender advocacy in the State.

She said the state has recorded the highest legislation by way of prohibiting all forms of gender and harmful practices such as the female genital mutilation, sexual assault and all violence against women and children which form the basis for the establishment of Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Ekiti State.