Group laments attack on women, girlsadvocates improved security for female gender

Group laments attack on women, girls

advocates improved security for female gender 

A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Advocacy for Safety of Women and Children Foundation (AFWCF) has made case for improved security for women and girls in the country.

To this end, the group appealed to the Federal Government and security agencies in the country  to strengthen security architecture in order to improve protection for women and children in all parts of the country.

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NGO Dr (Ms) Folashade Olusoji who spoke at a one day sensitization programme organized by the NGO in Abuja stressed the need for the women and girls to be adequately protected from harms.

She said the NGO had held similar advocacy programme in some parts of the country, including Osun State, saying the aim was to protect the women folk.

Speaking against the backdrop of gender discrimination, Mrs Olusoji said human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights to freedom and from persecution.

Mrs Olusoji who expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the support his administration has put in place towards enhancing adequate security in the country, commended the various security chiefs and their staff for achievements recorded.so far.

However, she lamented that women and girls were facing serious attacks in Nigeria .

According to her "since the group was inaugurated, it has been in the forefront of advocacy for women and children, giving a human face and voice to the challenges facing women in Nigeria.

She said "It is sad to hear that a christian woman and mother of five children, Rhoda Ya’u Jatau was detained and quarantined for five months since her arrest on questionable charges of blasphemy and incitement in Bauchi State.

"Another case was an issue of a mother of one , Oluwaremilekun Zainab Agiri of Anuoluwapo street, Aboru, Iyana Ipaja, Lagos State who was stumbled on by some suspected hoodlums where she was suspected to be involving in  homosexuality few months ago.

"The suspected hoodlums planned to persecute Oluwaremilekun Zainab Agiri but she narrowly escaped being lynched as she ran to an unknown destination.

"Agiri has since then been declared wanted by the security operatives for homosexuality, an offence which she never found guilty of as she was not tried by a competent court. Since the day of the incident, Zainab ran away and abandoned her 14 months old daughter, Mu'inah Oluwatiresimi Ogundimu and husband, Sikiru Segun Ogundimu.

"This is injustice and abuse of human rights. Every woman must be protected and given free hand to enjoy their human rights and freedom," 

"These are just a few out of so many cases of abuse and persecution against women. Many lives have been lost to persecution particularly against women and many of the victims were bread winners of their various homes. Many of the children of the victims of persecution suffered after the demise of their mothers," she added.

She informed that the group has begun to change the prevailing social narrative around women in the society, thereby engaging the public on the need for change of attitude against women persecution.