By Muftau Ogunyemi
Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, Wife of Ondo State Governor had commended the remarkable progress made in empowering and protecting the rights of the girl child in the state.
Anyanwu-Akeredolu made the commendment in the statement made available to newsmen by Oluwatobi O. Fademi, Press Secretary, WoG, Ondo State on Wednesday to marked 2023 International Day of the Girl Child.
According to her, October 11 recognized worldwide and serves as a reminder of the importance of empowering and safeguarding the girl child, while advocating for their rights and education.
The theme “Our Time is Now—Our Rights, Our Future,” this year’s International Day of the Girl Child
She said that the 2023 occasion emphasized the urgent need to address the challenges faced by girls worldwide and highlights their rights and potential to shape a better future for themselves and their communities.
The wife of governor explained that the BEMORE Summer Boot Camp, her an impactful initiative had been at the forefront of championing various causes to achieve girl’s child objective.
According to her, BEMORE summer bootcamp has empowered young girls in critical areas such as Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Entrepreneurship (STEM+E).
“With over 3,000 girls trained through the boot camp, these young women have acquired valuable skills and knowledge, positioning them as the next generation of confident and competent leaders.
“Notable success stories include Marvelous Jegede, Tolu Ehimosan, Christiana Madu, Abimbola Ogunsemore and Taiwo Oniyere to mention few, who excel in fields such as solar energy, ICT, and entrepreneurship,” she said.
Anyanwu-Akeredolu, who said she had long been a strong advocate for the protection of the rights of the girl child, recognizes the significant hurdles that girls face, including child marriages, female genital mutilation, limited learning opportunities, violence, and discrimination.
“My commitment to this cause is evident through the Yellow Cards Initiative, introduced in February 2021. This initiative aims to identify early warning signs of gender-based violence (GBV) in schools, providing children with an awareness card to report incidents promptly.
“In July 2021, Gov. Akeredolu signed into law the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law (VAPP) 2021. This legislation seeks to protect individuals, including the girl child, from all forms of sexual and gender-based violence,” she said.
She acknowledged the significant progress made in Akeredolu’s administration in empowering the girl child and creating an enabling environment for their growth and development, saying that the girl child had never been prioritized to this extent in the state.
Anyanwu-Akeredolu, therefore, urged parents, guardians, and educators not to rest on their oars in promoting gender equality through education and protection of the girl child.
The wife of the governor passionately appeals for more Nigerians to join the campaign to empower the girl child.
She said that the Akeredolu administration would remains resolute in its determination to protect and provide opportunities and resources that help girls fulfill their potential and lead lives free from violence.(NAN)
Mrs Akeredolu celebrates strides in girl child empowerment, Protection
