The Girls Voice Initiative (GVI) has called on schools in Lagos Education District One, southwest Nigeria, to domesticate the State’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.
Development Diaries gathered that the leader of GVI, a programme of Action Health Incorporated (AHI), AyoOluwa Oladiran, made the call during a virtual meeting on ‘Need to Implement Lagos State Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy’.
The policy, which was ratified by former governor Akinwumi Ambode on 26 December, 2016, seeks to ensure child protection concerns are identified, referrals handled sensitively, professionally and in ways that support the needs of the Child’s wellbeing.
Oladiran, who quoted a research by UNICEF pointing to one in four girls, and one in ten boys to have experienced sexual violence, harassment, and abuse, said implementing the policy effectively will protect students against those experiences within the education system.
‘Child-centered institutions, like schools, are one of the most frequent places where child sexual abuse or harassment occurs’, Oladiran said.
‘To complicate matters further, there is generally the additional problem of non-disclosure of abuse by children, due to fear of further harm from the perpetrators…’.
Similarly, one of the attendees, Angel Okolie, said that only four schools in Lagos Education District One confirmed that they had adopted the policy.
She said that a survey conducted by GVI among 100 students from ten schools in District One showed that more than 43 percent of the students had not heard about the Lagos State Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.
‘Majority of the students are willing to report if they are ensured confidentiality and support’, Okolie said.
The Principal of Government Junior College, Agege, Bola Alamu, appealed to AHI for support in training school officials towards becoming familiar with the provisions of the policy.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Education District One, commended AHI for its advocacy efforts.
Source: NAN
Photo source: The Commonwealth