Women must use their strategic position as builders of the home-front to adequately fortify their children and wards with right virtuous to stem the tide of rape and teenage pregnancy in the society.

According to wife of Lagos State Governor, Bolanle Ambode, as coordinators of the family unit, women have the responsibility to bring up their children in most decent ways and be good examples to them.

Speaking at a special Lagos Women Forum put together by her office at Police College in Ikeja, she said we as women have a great role to play in combating the social evils of rape and teenage pregnancy. Our natural role as mothers and coordinators of the family unit, imposes responsibilities on us, to bring up the boy and the girl child in the most decent way, to stem the tide of rape and teenage pregnancy in our society.”

She said young girls who suffer abuse and become pregnant stand the risk of medical complications, stressing however that conscious effort must be made in their upbringing to achieve the desired results including early enrolment in school, sound moral lessons and exposure to the ways and things of God.

Besides, Ambode expressed concern over the disturbing trend of domestic violence against women which sometimes result in deaths, saying it was time for women to come together and jointly speak out against the menace.

“By publicly speaking out against domestic violence, together we can challenge attitudes that breed violence in the homes and everywhere. We must insist that domestic violence is a social crimes and not acceptable in our society. That is why we have brought seasoned speakers, to talk to us on issues of social menace, and our expected roles as mothers and home builders.

Ambode noted that good health was a prerequisite for every other thing, including good attention to children and family, business and even political activities, stressing that without good health, nothing meaningful could be achieved.

According to her, “health is wealth’ they say, because good health is the gate way to everything. To have good health, we need to take care of our body, mind and soul.

“It is when we have good health that we can run around for business, take care of our homes, our children or engage in political activities. When we have sound health, we can better attend to all issues and concerns.”

The governor’s wife who condemned the high rate of prevalence of social nuisance in the society, told the women to boldly voice out their discontent against domestic violence, child abuse, rape and teenage pregnancy.

She described the attitude as barbaric and unacceptable in civilized climes, charging women to seek to know their rights under the law, to shun silence and be vocal voices for their own cause.

Mrs Ambode said: “Importantly too, we would be examining the rights of women under the law, in the face of persistent social problems. When we know our rights, we can speak better and act better, to protect ourselves if and when those circumstances arise.”

She reminded the women of their natural role as mothers and coordinators of the family unit, which according to her, imposed on them the salient responsibility of bringing up their children in the most decent way for a decent and moral society.

In her keynote address, Deputy Governor, Idiat Adebule commended the wife of the Governor for the initiative to gather women together for the purpose of enhancing their welfare and health, saying the strategic importance of women in the society could not be overemphasised.

She said women should no longer be stereotyped into silence but rather become vocal advocates for improved health delivery system and social justice, adding that the womenfolk also have the responsibility of investing and increasing access of more girls and women to good health, quality education, and as well ensuring that laws respect and ensure the rights of women are enforced.

The Deputy Governor, who is also overseeing the Ministry of Education, said as part of efforts to protect the future of girls who ware abused, government recently established a special school for people in such category to have another opportunity to be educated.

“We have equally established the alternative school for the girls who, in the course of their lifetime, get pregnant and could not continue their education. Our government has provided that particular school for them to have a second chance in life,” Adebule said.

Adebule urged women to pay due attention to their health and speak out against social vices, like domestic violence, child abuse, rape and teenage pregnancy, saying the forum provided a platform where women could engage in sustainable discourse to increase their knowledge and enhance their awareness on health and well-being as participants.

She said it was unfortunate that 23 years after countries signed pledges in 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action, women still face many health-cum-social problems, saying there was need for recommitment to address them.

Adebule urged Lagos women to embrace sustainable advocacy and take conscious action on matters concerning their health and how they were treated by the society at large.

“We should no longer be stereotyped into silence but become vocal advocates for improved health delivery system and social justice for women in Lagos State and the country.

“As critical stakeholders, our role must be focused on investing and increasing access of more girls and women to good health, quality education; ensuring that laws that respect and ensure the rights of women are enforced and help create gender-posture media messages that support women and girls in distress,” she said.

Adebule, however, appeal to all women to join hands with the government in winning the battle against dogmas inimical to healthy lifestyle and social malaise of domestic violence, child abuse, rape and teenage pregnancy.

Wife of the Governor of Lagos State and convener, Lagos Women Forum, Bolanle Ambode, presented free eye glasses to one the beneficiaries, Faromiki Oluwabukola, during the forum, with the theme: ‘Woman…Your Health, Your Social Environment’, held at the Police College, GRA, Ikeja, on Tuesday.

Speaking on the topic: “Be the Voice against Child Abuse and Teenage Pregnancy, ” Mrs Modupeola Adebambo of the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, said children who sexually were abused tended to be sexually active and exposed to teenage pregnancy, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, alcoholic addiction, among others.

She appealed to parents not to abuse their children in whatever form, adding that parents should teach their children sexual education to make them aware of the danger inherent in sexual abuse.

Director, Office of Public Defender, Olayinka Adeyemi, who spoke on domestic violence and rape, urged women to speak out against domestic violence and report such cases to the OPD for legal action.

The programme which was broken into two sessions, saw the first session handling health screening, cancer screening and distribution of free eye glasses while the second session saw health talks and talks on issues of social vices.

All dignitaries at the event took a stand against domestic violence, child abuse, rape and teenage pregnancy.