The need for governments at all levels to take budding preventive steps to stem the tide of child marriage and teenage pregnancy in Nigeria’s South West region, has been re-emphasised.
This is the consensus of stakeholders who spoke at a 2-Day Summit with the theme, “Regional Summit on Halting Child Marriage and Teenage Pregnancy in South West Nigeria,” organised by The New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative (NIGAWD), held in Ibadan, recently.
Speaking at the event, Director of the Centre for Population and Reproductive Health (CPRH), Emeritus Professor Oladosu Ojengbede, who x-rayed the nexus between society, family and other critical participants in the rampant cases of teenage pregnancy and child marriage, called for a rigorous campaign to address the menace.
Prof. Ojegbende also urged governments at all levels to think out of the box, by ideating initiatives that will give hope to victims of the societal ills, empower and propel them to greatness in life.
In their goodwill messages, the First Lady of Ekiti State, Associate Professor Olayemi Oyebanji, represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Peju Babafemi, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Oyo State, Hon. Toyin Balogun, Commissioner for Education, Ekiti State, represented by the Project Director, AGILE, Mrs. Adesua Yewande as well as the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Osun State, Mrs. Temilade Halid espoused various initiatives by the governments of Ekiti, Osun and Oyo State(s) to address the situation.
The government representatives sought for strategic collaboration with development partners to facilitate avenues such as skills camps, continuous sensitisation, school outreaches, involvement of religious and corporate bodies, among others to find a lasting solution to the conundrum.
Some of the experts and leaders of thought who spoke at the event advocated rigorous community and media engagement to secure a better future for girls across South West Nigeria.
Earlier in a remark, Executive Director of the New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative (NIGAWD), Mrs. Abimbola Aladejare-Salako said the summit was a gathering of passionate changemakers united by a common goal to midwife impactful actions that will aid the well-being of victims and drastically reduce the rate of these ills in our society.
The summit ended with pledges from stakeholders to implement the solutions provided across the six states of the geo-political zone.
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