The First Lady of Ebonyi State, Mrs. Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, has called the attention of mothers in the state on the need to protect their children from child abuse and other forms of domestic violence.
She noted that it was the responsibility of all mothers to ensure the safety of every child around them, stressing that they should train their children themselves and not send them outside the state for others to train.
The governor’s wife gave this advice while addressing women and youths at the kick-off of the 2023 August meeting of Ebonyi women in the state.
Nwifuru equally called on mothers to be vigilant and proactive in safeguarding their children.
“As the First Lady of Ebonyi State, it has been my message to all mothers to train their children themselves and not send them outside the state for others to train. This leads to different forms of Child Abuse and Human Trafficking.
“Ebonyi children need to be safe from such harm, hence we need to protect them and train them ourselves. As a state, we will create an environment where no child is left behind.
“We will invest in education, healthcare, and social support system that empower mothers and families to provide a nurturing and safe environment for their children to thrive” she stated.
Earlier, the State’s Deputy Governor, Mrs. Patricia Obila called on mothers to checkmate the kind of work and activities their children engage in to reduce crime in society.
According to UNICEF, six out of ten children in Nigeria experience emotional, physical or sexual abuse before the age of 18, with half experiencing physical violence.
Abuse in all its forms are a daily reality for many Nigerian children and only a fraction ever receive help. It also noted that “Six out of every 10 children experience some form of violence – one in four girls and 10 per cent of boys have been victims of sexual violence.
“Of the children who reported violence, fewer than five out of 100 received any form of support. The drivers of violence against children (VAC) are rooted in social norms, including around the use of violent discipline, violence against women and community beliefs about witchcraft, all of which increase children’s vulnerability.”
UNICEF further explained that “Nigeria has the largest number of child brides in Africa with more than 23 million girls and women who were married as children, most of them from poor and rural communities.
“While data suggests a decline of 9 per cent in the prevalence of child marriage since 2003, and a projected further decrease of 6 per cent by 2030, Nigeria’s rapid population growth means that the number of child brides will in fact increase by more than one million by 2030 and double by 2050,” it stated.
