The African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA) Nigeria Rivers State Chapter has celebrated the International Day of The Girl Child in collaboration with the Faculty of law, Rivers State University on the 11th of October, 2021, PROFJAYSBLOG reports.
The theme for this years event is “Digital Generation: Our Generation.”
While the advocacy group had a sub theme titled “curbing sexual harassment in schools and in work places”.
The state co-ordinator of AWLA, Dr. Hilda Desmond-Ihekaire, Esq while speaking with newsmen said International Day of The Girl Child is a day set aside by the United Nations to bring to fore some of the problems facing the girl child in our society.
She told newsmen that, the reason for the above theme was because the world have come to see that the effects of COVID-19 has further widened the gender gap which the United Nations have tried to bridge in line with their Goal 5; gender equality over the years.
She further stated that research has shown that over 22 million girls in the world does not have access to digital devices to do their work in schools. Going further, she opined that gone were the days were all you needed to go to school with was your pen and paper or textbooks but in this generation, if you don’t have access to digital devices, there’s no way you can learn efficiently and reports have shown that boys are more likely to have access to phones or other digital devices than the girls.
One of the key speakers, Rosemary Akporido-Uwanoghi, Esq. gave an incisive lecture on curbing sexual harassment in schools and work places. She stated that sexual harassment is an offence against both women and men. She advised the girls never to be intimidated by anybody but to use their voices because it’s their power to freedom.
On her part the secretary of the association (AWLA) Gloria Anuri Ohia Esq (FICMC) advised the girls to speak up and break the culture of silence as their assailants can only continue if they keep quiet and further urged them to report a perpetrator even though they are not directly involved.
In her own words ” If you see something say something”
The Dean of the Faculty of Law in the Rivers State University, Prof OVC Okene has called on students especially the females to report cases of sexual harassment of their lecturers, fellow students etc the the authority.
Prof OVC Okene who made the call on the sideline of the event organized to commemorate the International Day of The Girl Child who spoke with PROFJAYSBLOG said the faculty has put in place channels where such issues could be reported, adding that, students should be allowed to study in peace without being forced into sexual relationship against their will.
The highlight of the event was when two students, Miss Venessa Amarachi, a 500 level student and Miss Princess Chidera Collins, a 100 level student of faculty of law were empowered with two digital devices to enable them compete favourably with their male counterparts at the Rivers State University.
View some pictures of the event;
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