Ending Sexual And Gender-based Violence, Should Be Of Concern To All, VC

Apparently worried by the spate of sexual and gender-based violence in the society, the Vice Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede has charged Nigerians to join hands to end it in Nigeria,

Speaking at an Inception and Methodology Workshop organised by the institution in collaboration with Tertiary Education Trust Fund TETFUND with the theme “Acting together to end sexual and gender-based violence in Nigeria tertiary institutions” Ogunbodede noted that the menace transcend tertiary institutions..

Ogunbodede regretted that the vices is almost turning to a pandemic especially when those that are supposed to fight it are caught in the web adding that OAU will maintain its zero tolerance for any form of sexual harassment and gender-based violence.

Also speaking, the Principal Investigator, Professor (Mrs) Oluyemisi Obilade in a chat with newsmen said the menace should be addressed with all seriousness adding that a lot of time we pretend as if it is not happening.

Professor Obilade retreated the commitment to take the crusade to major zones of the country and have conversations with heads of institutions, regulatory agencies, students, male and female and other stakeholders to make our institutions safe place for girls and boys.

Her words: “We must make it such a way that girls don’t necessarily have to underachieve just to escape gender and sexual-based violence.

“Many girls deliberately underachieve so that they will not be noticed, so we have a lot of people who could be high flyers but they are hiding behind because they did not want anybody to single them out for harassment. It is time to say enough is enough” Obilade posited.