Ondo Government renews commitment to children, women’s protection

….as Commissioner Fagbemi plays host to stakeholders

The responsibility of taking care of women and children in Ondo State as well as fighting for their just course lies with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development. Hence, we would support your programme to make it successful, as we are stakeholders in ensuring our children are protected against child labour and other social vices.

This was the position of the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Omolola Fagbemi when she received in audience a team of Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and International Labour Organisation (ILO) Abuja, in her office.

Fagbemi appreciated the team for it’s good gesture by choosing Ondo State as the first state to enjoy this opportunity in Nigeria. She applauded the team for coming up with this project, as it would impart positively on the lives of our children, who are future leaders of this country.

Earlier, the head of the team, Dr. Agata Kolawole thanked the Commissioner for her audience despite her tight schedules. She said the courtesy call was meant to update the Commissioner on the ongoing project by the ILO, which is *Action against Child Labour in Agriculture in West Africa (ACLAWA) Project*, which would be presented to the state government officially on the 20th and 21st of May, 2024.

She said 10 communities have been chosen for the project in Ondo State. According to her, the project is funded by the United States Department of Labour (USDOL) and it’s committed to eliminating child labour in West Africa’s Agricultural sector.

In a related development, the Hon. Commissioner played host to the Gender Based Violence (GBV) Unit of the Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corps also in her office. She applauded the unit for being a major stakeholder in the crusade against Gender Based Violence in the state.

The Commissioner expressed her delight on the achievements recorded this far by the unit saying, the synergy between the unit and the ministry cannot be taken for granted, as it has yielded good results. She expressed the ministry’s readiness to always collaborate with the unit as and when due, as they are both working to achieve the same goal.

Earlier, the Unit head Mrs Ayodele Caroline Bolanle felicitated the Commissioner on her new appointment, describing it as a round peg in a round hole. She said her team was on Advocacy visit to update the Commissioner with the achievements the unit has recorded and areas of assistance from the ministry.

Ayodele Caroline said the unit has been in existence for the past five years and has recorded lots of land mark achievements in areas of handling and prosecution of cases of defilement of minor, rape, child abuse, juvenile delinquency, pregnancy denial, abandonment, family crises as well as domestic violence.