WOMEN URGED TO EMBRACE HEALTHY LIVING, CONFRONT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Wife of the Governor of Lagos, Bolanle Ambode, has urged women in the State to pay due attention to their health and speak out against social vices like domestic violence, child abuse, rape and teenage pregnancy.
She gave the charge during a women’s forum at the Police College, GRA, Ikeja, organised to address issues of women’s health and recurring social vices in the society.
Mrs. Ambode noted that good health was a prerequisite for every other thing, including attention to children, family, business as well as political activities, stressing that without good health, nothing meaningful can be achieved.
According to her, “It is when we have good health that we can run around for business, take care of our homes, our children or engage in political activities. When we have sound health, we can better attend to all issues and concerns.”
She condemned the high rate of prevalence of social nuisance in the society, tasking women to boldly assert their discontent against domestic violence, child abuse, rape and teenage pregnancy.
She said the natural role of women as mothers and coordinators of the family unit imposed on them the salient responsibility of bringing up their children in a disciplined manner for a decent and moral society.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Oluranti Adebule, said the forum provided a platform where women could engage in sustainable discourse, to increase their knowledge and enhance their awareness on health and well-being as participants.
Adebule said it was unfortunate that 23 years after countries signed pledges in 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action, women still faced many health-cum-social problems, saying that there was a need for a recommitment to address the issues.
“We should no longer be stereotyped into silence but become vocal advocates for improved health delivery system and social justice for women in Lagos State and the country”.
“As critical stakeholders, our role must be focused on investing and increasing access of more girls and women to good health, quality education; ensuring laws that respect and ensure the rights of women are enforced and help create gender-posture media messages that support women and girls in distress,” she said.
Adebule, however, appealed to all women to join hands with the government in the battle against dogmas inimical to a healthy lifestyle, the social malaise of domestic violence, child abuse, rape and teenage pregnancy.
The programme held in two sessions, with the first session dedicated to general health and cancer screening, followed by the distribution of 500 free eyeglasses while the second session was devoted to health talks and topics on issues of social vices.