Ogun State Government is not going to tolerate criminal acts of rape or any form of sexual and gender based violence in the state.
To this end, the state Government says plans are on-going to set up a Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) Court, to handle issues relating to sexual abuses and violence against defenseless people of the State.
The State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun disclosed this when he received the Country Representative, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Ms. Ulla Mueller, in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta today.
The governor emphasised that issues relating to population and gender equality were germane to sustainable development, hence the domestication of the Violence Against Person’s Prohibition (VAPP).
Prince Abiodun assured that more women would be included in governance, while efforts would be made to strengthen the Sex and Gender Base Violence (SGBV) response network in the State, adding that it was imperative for government to continue to jointly pursue the implementation of the programmes with the body, in order to sustain the well-being of the citizenry.
He lauded the Fund for its unwavering support, despite the State’s delay in fulfilling its obligations, assuring that this year’s Counterpart Fund would be released as and when due.
“It is noteworthy that in the last five years, Ogun State Government had not contributed their own Counterpart Fund to UNFPA but this administration, in line with its priorities, saw the need to strengthen partnership with you and immediately resolved to putting things right. This is the reason we paid the first tranche of our Counterpart Fund. It is also commendable that your agency remained a dependable and committed ally to the State”, he said.
The Governor promised that the State Government would not relent in supporting the agency’s campaign in making the world a better place, while improving the health sector of the State.
In her remark, the UNFPA representative, Ms. Ulla Mueller, appreciated the Governor for approving the payment of the Counterpart Fund, notwithstanding paucity of funds, congratulating the State for being among the lowest, in terms of the global level of maternal mortality rate in the country.
Mueller added that the State was not far from reaching the 38 percent Family Planning 2020 commitment with its Contraceptive Prevalence Rate of 32.1 percent, calling on the people to collaborate with government in fighting Covid-19 pandemic.
