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Girl-Child’s Rights Protection: WACSOF Advocacy Women Empowerment

Published

6 years ago

April 29, 2019

Girl-Child’s Rights Protection: WACSOF Advocacy Women Empowerment

Joel Ajayi

At the weekend, members of the West African Civil Society Forum WACSOF came together in Nigeria’s Capital Territory, Abuja to embark on advocacy on the application of child’s right protection policy that will equip every girl child within the member states which they said would drive the socio-economic development of the region.

15 countries with over 35 participants in the region gathered to create more awareness and regional capacity building on Girl’s rights protection advocacy.

The General Secretary of WACSOF, Komlan Messie while speaking on Saturday at 2-day event said that only way to protect the girl child rights is through proper education and empowerment.

He identified the right of survival, the right of development, right of protection and right of participation as the pillar of every girl child as a tool to safeguard against all forms of abuse neglect and exploitation.

“Recently, ECOWAS adopt child policy and it is important to understand that that policy has four pillars which right of survival, the right of development, right of protection and right of participation, those are the four pillar and we are going to talk about and see how we can better the situation in our region to have peaceful countries and well developed regions.

“In every single ECOWAS countries, at a different level, they have child policy at a different level of development but this ECOWAS child the right policy is to harmonize the view of what child rights protection should be in our region.

‘So, in our different countries, there are many forces, the traditional, stakeholders, religious leaders, civil society among others but what civil society is doing is to have a strategy and advocacy t0 all member states to ensure that that policy, those laws are applied.

“WACSOF as a whole has a role of education to ensure that all those laws are well implemented and disseminated in our region, diligently in our country, in order to make citizens aware of their right and hold the government accountable for the application of those policies so, that citizen can be well equipped.

On his own, the Acting chairman of WACSOF Sierra Leone, Mr Willian Sao-Lamin commended the initiatives: “I think it’s very timely, most especially for my country, Sierra Leone where there is so much abuse rape is an increase gender-based violence is on the increase

“And the government of Sierra Leone is very determined to ensure that the miserable gender-based violence is kicked away from Sierra Leone, he just pronounced a state of emergency on gender-based violence and protection of girl child right in the country and parliament is also trying to pass that bill into law. So, the political will is there and civil is not relenting.

“You can imagine a 50 years old man just rape 6 months old girl, it so terrible and this is happening on a daily basis. We are going to fight it.

Speaking on the important of WACSOF to fight the battle in ECOWAS: he said that civil society remains the biggest organization in the sub-region and whatever that are doing will no doubt have a positive impact on every member states.” He said

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NSF: Oparaoji, Ekpeyong, Quadri Gear Up for Tough Quarterfinal Clashes in Abeokuta

Published

2 weeks ago

May 23, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The tennis courts at the ongoing National Sports Festival in Abeokuta are buzzing with intensity as the competition hits the quarterfinal stage in both the men’s and women’s singles events, following a gripping round of 16.

Men’s Singles Quarterfinals:

Abubakar Yusuf of FCT will square off against Rivers State’s Abua Canice. Yusuf booked his spot with a 4-0, 4-2 win over Ehigiamusoe Endurance of Edo, while Canice cruised past Azi David 4-1, 4-0.

Bayelsa’s Uche Oparaoji faces Adeleye Daniel of Ekiti in a clash of skill and strategy. Oparaoji outclassed Urenyang Nuhu of Taraba 4-1, 4-2, just as Adeleye powered past Kaduna’s Ibrahim Sulaiman with the same scoreline.

In one of the most anticipated ties, Danjuma Lucky (FCT) will lock horns with Bayelsa’s top seed David Ekpeyong. Danjuma came through a thrilling contest against Ekiti’s Abamu Matthew, rallying to win 1-4, 4-2, 10-5, while Ekpeyong dominated Taraba’s Rubi Toba 4-0, 4-2.

Home favourite Christopher Bulus of Ogun will battle Edo’s Michael Chima for a semifinal ticket. Bulus swept past Rivers’ Timibra Godsgift 4-1, 4-0, while Chima triumphed over Delta’s Iloputa Ikechukwu in a straight-set win.

Women’s Singles Quarterfinals:

Delta’s Barakat Quadri, fresh off a 4-1, 4-0 win over Rebecca Ekpeyong of Bayelsa, will face rising star Emmanuel Bright of the IJA (Invited Junior Athletes), who overcame Rivers’ Maxwell Timipre 4-2, 5-3.

Edo’s Omotayo Blessing will battle Akwa Ibom’s Udoffa Mary in what promises to be a fiery encounter. Omotayo brushed aside Ekiti’s Adeusi Jesutoyosi 4-0, 4-1, while Udoffa outplayed Moses Favour of Kaduna 5-3, 4-0.

Elsewhere, Ogunjobi Success of Ekiti will test her mettle against Aina Goodnews of IJA, and Akwa Ibom’s Etoro Bassey faces Ogun’s Yakubu Ohunene in a South-South vs South-West showdown.

With the quarterfinals locked in, tennis fans are in for a thrilling ride as the battle for medals intensifies under the Abeokuta sun.

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