Kate Henshaw, Bhaira Walk Against Rape

Versatile actress, Kate Henshaw and winner of Amstel Malta Box office 3, Bhaira McWizu, have joined other influential personalities for the second edition of Celebrities Walk Against Rape which is being supported by the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. The maiden edition of the campaign was held in April 2010 with over 1,000 participants.

Other celebrities who will join Kate and Bhaira for the walk include Jimmy Jatt, Ali Baba, Owen Gee, Gt the Guiterman, Gbemi Olateru Olabegi, Isio Wanogho, Bolaji Rosiji, Ego Obaro, Praise Fowowe, Jerrilyn Mulbah, Jodie and Toni Payne among others.

The Celebrities Walk Against Rape campaign is a special demonstration that brings together Nigerian actors, actresses, sports men, media practitioners, musicians, comedians and other concerned organisations around Lagos State to lend a voice to sexually abused women and children, particularly young girls between the ages of three and 16 years.

According to the project coordinator, Esther Ijewere Kalejaiye, “Our aim is to help in encouraging victims to speak out and reduce the stigmatization attached to the victims of sexual abuse and rape as well as use Walk Against Rape as a platform to inform the society about the soaring scourge of sexual abuse especially as it relates to young girls and women in general. This year, we intend achieving a lot more with the campaign as we would be having a one-day sensitizing workshop for young people of secondary school age, young undergraduates and parents, where our celebrity ambassadors would be educating several young Nigerians on rape and child abuse. The theme for this year’s walk and workshop is tagged: BREAK THE SILENCE, SPEAK UP, WALK AGAINST RAPE.

The sensitising workshop will be held at the International School Unilag, Akoka on Tuesday 19 June, while the walk is slated for Thursday 28 of same month.

Aside the celebrities that are attending the walk, invitations have also be sent to non government organisations, representatives of different local governments in Lagos State, media practitioners, entertainment stars (musicians, producers, actors, actresses, TV/Radio presenters, students delegates from: (LASU, LASPOTECH, UNILAG and YABATECH), secondary school students, corporate social responsibility (CSR) arms of various corporate bodies, the general public, etc.