2018 ‘WAPA CONNECT’ PARTICIPANTS HARP ON HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIP AMONG FAMILIES

Participants at the 2018 edition of the annual gathering of women in Lagos State tagged “WAPA Connect” have underscored the importance of harmonious living within family units across the country, saying that the attainment of a violence-free nation is predicated on peace within all family units.

The First Lady of Lagos State, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode while speaking at the 2018 WAPA Connect Conference on Tuesday in Lagos, said that the conference had over the years been instrumental to advancing the course of women and addressing specific issues that affect them, especially the perceived inequality between the male and female gender.

Ambode, who was represented at the event by a member of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials, COWLSO, Mrs. Kemi Durosinmi-Etti, added that vices like domestic violence and rape have further been exposed through constant awareness and various enlightenment programmes by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, WAPA, in the State.

According to her, the succour that WAPA had been bringing to victims of domestic violence has further encouraged women to confidently speak out whenever their rights are perceived to have been trampled upon.

She noted that the realisation of the need for peace and tranquillity in homes made the present administration pay more than cursory attention to women empowerment and promotion of harmonious relationships.

The Commissioner, Ministry of Women and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. (Mrs.) Lola Akande in her address explained that the conference is aimed at advancing women’s rights, fostering domestic harmony and tackling the menace of gender-based violence among other burning issues affecting women.

She recalled that last year, the Conference focused on Women’s Rights, Fostering Domestic Harmony through Multi-Perspective Analysis and how best to offer help and support to women in the 21st Century.

Speaking on this year’s theme for the conference, “Fostering Harmonious Living Through Reforms; Strengthening of Social Services and Substantive Equality among Women and Young Girls”, Akande stated that the various strategies and modalities needed to sustain gender equality for women and girls would further be brought to bear.

She expressed the belief that information provided at the gathering will be of great help in assisting all stakeholders to take bold action towards promoting harmonious living through family reforms, making an impact through social change and achieving personal peace and stability in this present challenging world.

Whiling revealing that there is a decrease in the areas of sexual molestation, child abuse, and domestic violence among other vices in the State, the Commissioner maintained that there is still a need to continually sensitise women and all relevant stakeholders until these cruel acts are eradicated in the State.

Also speaking at the event, a member, representing Mushin in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mrs. Funmilayo Tejuosho advised women who are currently in one form of violent relationship or the other to speak out for help instead of suffering in perpetual silence, saying that it better to live than to die of violence in marriage or any other relationship.

She attributed the current trend where some wives reportedly maim their husbands to frustration from consistent battering meted out on such women by their husbands, just as she warned that resorting to self-defence or taking the law to one’s hands can never be the solution to domestic violence.

Tejuoso, however, encouraged women to be educated and skilled in different vocations in order to reduce their over-dependence on men and also work to be as successful as their male counterparts.