150 displaced persons in Oyo get hygiene kits, support materials

Wife of the Oyo State governor, Mrs Tamunominini Makinde, on Friday, handed hygiene kits and support materials to 150 dwellers at the Settlement Centre in Akinyele Local Government Area of the state.

The donation to the Akinyele Settlement Centre was made in commemoration of 16 days of activism against sexual and gender-based violence.

The donation was a partnership between the Oyo State Government, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Centre for Population and Reproductive Health (CPRH).

Handing over the kits and materials to the Akinyele settlers, who are largely Northerners, Makinde said the fact that people are vulnerable does not make them prey.

She stressed that women and girls should be valued, respected and never subjected to sexual abuse or any form of abuse.

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Makinde said it was imperative for well-meaning members of the society to mobilise against gender-based violence, and especially speak out and inform relevant necessary authorities when they notice any form of violence against women and girls.

Stressing that survivors of sexual and gender-based violence live with the trauma all their life, she charged all and sundry to unite to ensure all women and girls are safe.

Prior to the donation to the Akinyele Settlement Centre, a road walk had been held from the state Secretariat to Bodija, Ibadan, with various stakeholders holding up placards calling for action against sexual abuse, child abuse, and female genital mutilation.

The stakeholders described sexual and gender-based violence as unacceptable and preventable, adding that female genital mutilation must come to an end.

Director, Centre for Population and Reproductive Health (CPRH), Professor Oladosu Ojengbede, in his own remarks, stressed that all efforts must continue to be geared towards completely stopping female genital mutilation, sexual and gender-based violence against women.

Among those who participated in the events were members and partners of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Centre for Population and Reproductive Health (CPRH); wife of Oyo deputy governor, Chief Mrs Ajibola Lawal; commissioners; chairman, Akinyele Local government, Taoheed Adedigba; Alakinyele of Akinyele, Oba James Odeniran.