Kogi State government in collaboration with ActionAid Nigeria and the Sustainable Mechanisms for Improving Livelihoods and Household Empowerment (SMILE) consortium have developed a multi-sectoral response plan to end violence against children in the State
The State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social DeveIopment, Mrs Bolanle Amupitan, stated this on Monday at a press conference.
She said “The report of the 2013 national survey conducted by the Federal Government through the National Population Commission. with support from UNICEF led Kogi State to constituting a technical working group to develop the state response plan to ending violence against children.
“Kogi state Ministry of Women Affairs and Social development was supported by ActionAid Nigeria and Catholic Relief Services to develop the State Priority Response plan which sets out clear, short and long-term strategies to be implemented in Kogi State to effectively prevent and respond to violence against children.
“The launch of the policy document holding tomorrow (Tuesday 4th September 2018) in Kogi state is a demonstration of the resolve of His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello and his administration, to improve the welfare of citizens and residents in Kogi State and most importantly protect children in Kogi State from all forms of violence and abuse.”
The Program Manager, SMILE, Action-Aid Nigeria, Maryann Obidike stressed the rationale behind supporting Kogi State for the End – Violence against children campaign, “Findings from the survey conducted in 2015 revealed that 60% of children often experience one or more types of violence before the age of 18.
“Six out of every ten children were subjected to some forms of violence every year. multiple times; one in four girls and one in ten boys experienced sexual violence; one in six girls and one in five boys experienced emotional violence by a parent, caregiver or an adult relative.
“ActionAid Nigeria, as one of the Organisations on the SMILE consortium working to end violence against children seeks to achieve two clear objectives in Kogi State: To adopt and implement laws and policies that prevent and respond to violence against children in Kogi State by 2022, and, to enhance and scale up efforts to Prevent and respond to violence in Kogi State by 2022.”
The agency called on other state governments, ministries, agencies and traditional organizations including paretsand other relevant stakeholders to raise their voices and act to end violence aginat children in Nigeria.
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