Lagos decries rising cases of violence, child abuse

The Lagos State Government has expressed worry at the rate of incidence of violence and child abuses in some quarters across the State.

The government assured that necessary measures were being put in place to improve on timely prevention and immediate response during identified or reported cases of violence and abuse.

The government also urged all its social workers across the State to ‘up their ante’ in the discharge of their mediating role among school children and the entire residents of the State.

Responding to the feedback at a 3-day training on Child Protection System Strengthening (CPSS) and Lagos State Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy for social workers in collaboration with UNICEF, the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf appealed to the social workers from state and local government to raise their bar on preventive and response actions.

She said social workers must begin to see the profession as a calling and as such renew their commitment to the protection of vulnerable people from violence, abuses and supporting them to live independently.

The Commissioner reassured social workers that the government would not desist from giving them the needed support that would enhance their performances.

Also speaking at the event, the representative of UNICEF, Mr. Dennis Onoise advised social workers to be better listeners instead of speakers at all time such that individuals would willingly submit to their directives and repose greater confidence in them.

He identified the advent of social media as the major cause of some broken marriages, saying that more attention was given to technological gadgets while little or no time was left for family integration and bonding.

A facilitator at the training, Mrs. Modupe Adebambo commended the Lagos State Government for prioritizing the social well-being of its publics.

She called for more advocacy of the Lagos State Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy among families such that parents would be better aware of the consequences of their actions and reactions and would not do contrary to the provisions of the 2015 Child Right Law.

Adebambo who blamed acts of violence and abuse in the society on inherited attitudes from homes, appealed to parents to raise their children with utmost love, care and godliness.

She added that available statistics which revealed that before the age of 18, six out of every ten children had already been abuse or experienced violence mostly from familiar faces and individuals should be a concern to all and must be collectively addressed.