WAPA REITERATES COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING PEACE, SECURITY AMONG RESIDENTS

… Solicits Support of Security Personnel, Youths, Others

The Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), has reiterated its commitment to fostering peace and security among residents.

The Honourable Commissioner for WAPA, Mrs. Cecilia Bolaji Dada, stated this on Friday at a stakeholders' forum held at the NUT Pavilion, Alausa, Ikeja, with the theme: “The Road to Lasting Peace: Leveraging the Power of Youths for Peace and Security”

She said the aim of the conference was to engage stakeholders, especially security agents, market women and youths within Lagos Communities, for active participation in fostering peace and security in the State.

Dada, who was represented at the event by the Director of Domestic Violence Unit in the Ministry, Mrs. Toyin Olorunfemi, said the call for action was necessary since history has shown that women and children were the most vulnerable in conflict of any kind because they suffer abuses and human rights violations.

While noting that those who survive the atrocities are traumatised and live with painful memories of the gruesome experience, she emphasised the need to sensitise security personnel to align with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR1325), which underscores the importance of equal participation and involvement of women in all processes of peacekeeping, conflict resolution and management within their various environments.

The Deputy Director, Social Welfare and Child Development Unit in the Ministry of Youths and Social Development, Mrs. Funmilola Peter-Popoola, said many women are to blame for covering up Sexual and Domestic Violence perpetrators under the guise of shielding the family's reputation.

She said: “Parents should do better in raising their children, especially the male children, who are allowed to misbehave while the females are being trained under strict supervision”.

She, therefore, implored mothers to have a paradigm shift and train all children in the same way without discrimination.

Also speaking, the Assistant Director, Social Welfare Assessor, Family Court 4, Yaba, Dr. Habeeb Dosunmu, charged the participants to report any form of Sexual and Domestic Violence, in order to drastically curb the menace and bring offenders to justice.

Similarly, the Assistant Superintendent and Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Mr. Oluwaseun Abodurin, commended the Ministry for organising the event and enjoined participants to engage security operatives around them as partners in attending to issues of insecurity within their immediate environment.

He called for unfettered information processing by being conversant with activities in the locality in order to nip threats in the bud before it escalates into unmanageable situations.

#LASG
#ForAGreaterLagos


CAPTIONS:

PIX 1: ACS Superintendent Olumide Abodurin, a facilitator at the security and Peace Building event by WAPA

PIX 2: Participants at the stakeholders' forum on security and peace organised by WAPA


lalasticlala, Mynd44

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