By TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
In commemoration of the 16 Days Activism on ending violence against women and girls, the Osun West Senatorial District Iyalodes (female traditional chiefs) held a meeting at Osogbo to deliberate on strategies to put in place for the total eradication of the Sexual and Gender Based Violence in Osun State.
The team was led by High Chief (Mrs) Stella Olubunmi Soyanwo, who is the President and Iyalode General of Osun State.
The round table discussion came up on 27th November, 2023 at 10:00am in Osogbo.
The Iyalode General said that at Otan- Aiyegbaju where she resides, men have taken to serious caution in relation to the ways and manners they relate and treat their wives and female children, adding that the whole community knows what she stands for and have been desisting from the act.
She further stated that all Iyalodes present at the meeting should be ambassadors in this cause in their communities until the menace of Sexual and Gender Based Violence is totally eradicated.
While appreciating Ford foundation for supporting WARDC who sub granted OPACTs, Chief Soyanwo emphasized the positive effects of the project in Osun State, coupled with the domestication of the VAPP Law.
News Bulletin Nigeria reports that the sensitization activities have yielded reasonable results that are worthy of applaud.
The Executive Director, Organization for Public Awareness on Child and Women Rights -(OPACTs), Barr (Mrs) Ayoola Olusegun reiterated the position of the Iyalodes at their various communities to be that of “Women and Girl Child Ambassadors” such that their presence in the communities should create a consciousness of the law enforcement agency, bringing about deterrent to the committal of sexual and gender based violence in such communities.
The Iyalodes made a commitment to hold town hall meeting at their communities to further sensitize men and women on the position of Law as much as possible until visible results are evident in all the communities in the state.
Mrs. Stella Funmilayo Adebayo, the Iyalode of lmesi- Ile said that since the commencement of the project, coupled with the training received at the workshops attended, she took it upon herself to organize a programme tagged “ilokulo Obirin ati ijiya ti o ro mo” meaning – “Misuse of women and its consequences,” an online programme that comes up every second day of the month at 7:00pm on Facebook. This she does for the sustainability of the project in her community.
Chief (Mrs) Adebowale Olabimpe, the Iyalode of Igbajo said that she is recognized in her community as an advocate against the menace of SGBV and that series of cases had been settled by her using the simplified version of the VAPP LAW as a deterrent to perpetrators.
News Bulletin Nigeria reports that the meeting was an insight to the activities the Iyalodes have been doing at their various communities to support the eradication of Sexual and Gender Based Violence as well as the activities they are committed to continue doing to ensure the sustainability of the project.
