The Executive Director, Administration of Every Life Matters Foundation, Mr Benjamin Obasi, has urged parents to invest time in training their male children to become responsible adults.
He made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja, in commemoration of the International Day of Girl-child.
Obasi said that the society had invested so much energy and time on training and educating the girl-child and neglecting the male child to become nuisance.
According to him, there will not be a girl-child abuse if the male child is properly educated on how to treat the opposite gender.
He added that proper education of the male child was key to achieving zero rape and abuse case in the society.
Obasi stressed the need for proper education of the male child, adding that the same energy channeled by parents to educate the girl-child should be replicated in the upbringing of the male child.
“You know parents keep telling the girl-child you have to be careful and do not allow any man to touch you in a certain manner, but failed to tell the male child that is not proper to touch a lady in a certain way.
“We will continue to face the girl-child abuse if we do not train the male child properly.
“I therefore call on all to invest in proper training of the male child in order to have a better society because if a male child is well trained abuse and rape cases will be minimised,” he said.
Obasi, however, enjoined the girl-child to always speak out when molested, adding that it is a right way to get justice.
According to him, telling the truth will always be the way out in confronting issues such as rape and abuse of cases.
He, however, called on the government to address issues of inequalities, adding that more participation of women in politics will help to better the living standard of the girl-child.
Obasi also called for respect of enactment of the 2003 girl-child right, noting that Nigeria still engages in child marriage which is against the Child’s Right Act.
“Marrying these girls out at a very young age affects them mentally and psychologically, which also makes them loose their confidence and deny them the opportunity to become better in the society.
“It is commonly said that a girl-child will become like her mother someday, so it is imperative for mothers to be good role models to their girl-child,” he said.
Obasi further called on stakeholders to embark on more sensitisation to educate the boy child to become better persons in the future.
He said educating the male would reduce the case of girl-child abuse by 50 per cent. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Source: News Agency of Nigeria