Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr Oluranti Adebule and wife of the governor, Mrs Bolanle Ambode have urged women to speak out against domestic violence, child abuse, rape and teenage pregnancy, among other vices.
They spoke at the Lagos Women’s Forum, which held at the Police College, Ikeja. The event was organised to address women’s health and recurring social vices in the society.
It was supported by Power Oil, a healthy cooking oil as part of its efforts to intensify the advocacy for a healthy living and other well-being measures, especially among women in the society.
Wife of the first civilian governor of the state Alhaja Abimbola Jakande; Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Sustainable Development Goals, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, the state Head of Service (HoS) Mrs. Folasade Adesoye were some of the dignitaries at the event.
With the theme: Woman…your health, your social environment, Mrs Ambode said sound health is one of life’s greatest blessings, hence the need to encourage and educate women to live in good health for longer life and optimal performance in all aspects of life.
She said: “Good health is the gateway to everything. To have good health, we need to take care of our body, mind and soul. It is when we have good health that we can run around for business and engage in other activities.”
While also condemning the spate of social vices in the state, Mrs Ambode urged women to voice out their discontent with domestic violence, child abuse, rape and teenage pregnancy.
She said: “Importantly, too, we would be examining the rights of women under the law in the face of persistent social problems. When we know our rights, we can speak better and act better to protect ourselves if and when those circumstances arise.”
She reminded women of their role as mothers and co-ordinators of the family unit, which, according to her, imposed on them the responsibility of bringing up their children in the most decent way for a decent and moral society.
According to her, good health is a prerequisite for every other thing, including good attention to children and family, business and political activities.
“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 said.
Mrs Adebule said the forum provided a platform for women to say “enough” to challenges they were facing. “We should no longer be stereotyped into silence, but become vocal advocates for an improved health delivery system and social justice for women in Lagos State and the country,” she said.
Mrs Adebule said it was unfortunate that 23 years after the Beijing Declaration, women were still facing many health and social problems.
She urged women to embrace sustainable advocacy and take conscious action of their health and how they are treated by the society at large.
“We should no longer be stereotyped into silence, but become vocal advocates for improved health delivery system and social justice for women in the 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 that 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.
Power Oil Public Relations Manager, Omotayo Azeez-Abiodun, said the firm was delighted to align with such a laudable health awareness and well-being programme, particularly women in the society.
The programme, she said, shared similar values with what the brand stands for Healthy Living and general well being.
According to her, because of the multi-functional nature of women, they equally deserve healthy state to carry out their duties efficiently. “This one of the reasons it is recommended that they take advantage of the free health check up and medical consultation opportunity, which Power Oil health camp offers, Omotayo stated.
A Director from the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Mrs Modupeola Adebambo, said sexually- abused children have the tendency to be sexually active and be exposed to teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and alcohol addiction, among others.
She appealed to parents not to abuse their children, urging them to teach them sexual education because of the danger inherent in sexual abuse.
Office of Public Defender (OPD) Director Olayinka Adeyemi, also urged women to speak out against domestic violence and report such cases to the OPD for legal action.