The Young Moms Support Initiative, a Civil Society Organisation (CSO), has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint women into key positions in his new cabinet to give them sense of belonging.
Mrs Vivian Sonny-Nsirim, the founder of the organisation who is also the President, One million+ mothers movement, made the call while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Monday in Abuja.
Sonny-Nsirim also urged the president to strive hard to implement policies that would help protect rights of women in the country.
According to her, Young Moms Support Initiative has on daily basis receives thousands of heart-breaking messages of abuses, domestic violence, rapes, robbery and assaults against women and children.
She said there has been tremendous rise in cases of violation against women and children’s rights in the country.
“The trend will only be halted by laws, if women are in key positions they will address the issue squarely.
“We call on Buhari, who is our father to urgently step into the ugly trend and implement policies that would protect the rights of women and girls in the society.
“The strength quotient of a generation lies in its ability to love and protect the women.
“The question is; where are we the women supposed to run to for protection? the young women have begun to question our safety; has the society failed us as females?
“If the men in power decide to assault young women because they have the power and body guards to protect them; where else lies the protection for women?,’’ she said.
She also urged governments at all levels to appoint women in key positions as part of effort to address issues affecting empowerment of women and children in the country.
She explained that women are the driving force in every society adding that empowering a woman meant empowering the society.
Sonny-Nsirim urged Nigerian women to be united and stand for the truth as they strive to protect the dignity of womanhood.
“It is time for us to define our rights, to be conscious of our environment, to know that, if we do not protect ourselves, our children and our girl child; no one would,” she said.
According to her, when a woman speaks up against abuse, the society has a way of shutting her up; forgetting that all were born of a woman, have mothers, sisters, daughters, nieces and aunties.
She said that Nigerian women should learn to support and encourage one other.
“Especially anyone courageous enough to speak up, rather than die in silence, we should also teach our children how to speak up against abuses,” she said.
Sonny-Nsirim advised parents to go to promote early child sex education among their children by using sensitisations like the Pants Campaign.
According to her, early child sex education and sensitisation such as the Pants Campaign would guide parents on how to teach their children to stay safe from abuses.
