Ogun state government Friday disclosed that it had concluded plans 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.
Governor 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, the state capital.
He said issues relating to population and gender equality were germane to sustainable development, hence the domestication of the Violence Against Person’s Prohibition (VAPP).
Abiodun gave the assurance 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.
The governor lauded the UNFPA 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 remarks, 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.
