Child Abuse
EFFURUN/Nigeria: A nongovernment organization (NGO), Like The Stars Initiative, has embarked on campaign in Warri, Effurun and environs, against abuse of the female child.
A member of the Like The Stars Initiative, Mrs Stacy Empere who spoke to our correspondent in Effurun, explained that the campaign was necessitated by the need to cheek early or unwanted pregnancy of the female child which she described as an alarming trend in the society.
“When the female child is pregnant, she becomes a liability to the parents. So we advised parents to place their eyes on their female child. No matter how busy they are, they (parents) should always focus on their female child,”Mrs Empere stated.
To achieve the aims and objectives of the group, she disclosed that, besides the campaign, Like The Stars Initiative had also rendered free counseling services to parents and victims of early female pregnancy as well as gave free skills acquisition, and scholarship to victims
“We have also be holding a monthly programme tagged: ‘She And Her ‘ which offers mothers and their female child to discuss the issue” she said, disclosing further that market places and secondary schools were their target audience for the campaigns.
While sayng that response from the society was very encouraging, Mrs Empere noted that they had some jeers and boos from some unscrupulous young men during the campaigns who said: “Advised the female child to stay away from men also.”
On the way forward, she suggested that government should create empowerment programs as well as encourage NGOs to empower youths, adding: “So that our young ones can be meaningful engaged, for an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.”
