Chinazor Megbolu
18 November 2008
Lagos — The National Assistant Secretary General, Counseling Association of Nigeria, Mrs. Celine Njoku, has called for the stoppage of violence and discrimination against women in the society.
Njoku, a practicing counselor psychologist, made the call last week during an interactive programme with teachers, organised by the Ajegunle Community Project (ACP) at its Secretariat in Lagos, and tagged, 'Gender-Based Violence and Discrimination'.
She also added that though violence against women may not stop immediately but with time, as they become aware with a lot of education and skills, it would come to a minimal and manageable level.
Commending ACP for the laudable projects they have embarked so far towards helping women as well as the girl child in the society, she called on all the post primary schools in Lagos State to associate with the grassroots organisation, so that they can get the message through to their wards.
Njoku also supported ACP's efforts to encourage teachers to form clubs in respective schools for the female child's know-how, as well as become aware of all the different types of violence during the club activities.
"A student can will know and become aware of all the different types of violence that go along in our society as well as the social vices, so that they will be able to defend themselves when the need arises," she said.
She said with good education and cultural basis, many things would be avoided and eradicated so that they will know that there are different types of violence in the society; and added that since ACP started its campaign, they now know what they are doing about abuse and how to react.
Njoku also pointed that there are many challenges facing the fight against violence in the area of culture, poverty and poor education, adding that with what Lagos State Government is doing now as well as her group and ACP, it would be achieved.
She called on everybody to be involved. In her words: "Let every hand be on deck to check this violence at homes, schools and all the institutions; the religious institutions, political institutions, economic institutions, the family marriage institution and every other institutions".
In a manual made available to THISDAY, ACP stated that the anti-violence clubs raises awareness, facilitates the process of checking gender-based violence and discrimination, influences the girl-pupil's belief, value systems about male-female relations, and campaigns against date rape, assault and violence at home.
It also provides a platform for early cultivation of a violence free culture among youths; helps to conduct in-school training programmes for girl-children on their sexuality rights and sexuality within the community, trains school teachers and counselors on gender based violence and discrimination and facilitates the institutionalisation of gender-based violence and discrimination clubs in Nigerian secondary schools.
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