The Plateau Gender and Equal rights Commission has charged religious leaders from the 17 local council areas of the state to rise up to the responsibility of social welfare protection
The Plateau Gender and Equal rights Commission has charged religious leaders from the 17 local council areas of the state to rise up to the responsibility of social welfare protection of members within their communities.
Olivia Dazyam, Chairperson of the Commision, gave the charge on Thursday in Jos during a statekholders’ engagement on sexual-based violence, child trafficking and other related offences.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Commison has repatriated over 100 children within the last one year, serving as househelps in different parts of the country, and over 23 recorded household conflicts with varying degrees of damages done.
Dazyam, who decried the spate of sexual related offences particularly against minors, charged religious leaders not to be complicit when dealing with such cases in their communities.
According to her, religious leaders who often preach forgiveness against perpetrators of such offences are the salient reasons behind its escalation in the state.
“As religious leaders, you are key in shaping society’s morals and values especially when it comes to the sanctity of the family, my utmost call to you today is to call such offences with the name that it is.
“The whole essence of this meeting is to appeal to you to call irresponsibility with its name, we must not tolerate or harbour perpetrators of such anymore, call a spade a spade.
“As leaders who people listen to, your influence and authority can prevent abuse and promote the protection of members of your society by championing awareness about child rights abuses and prevention.
“Establish child protection desks at your various places of worship, lead cultural reforms to eliminate harmful practices while resolving disputes with the child’s best interests as priority and inculcating that also in your sermons,” she said.
On their parts, members of the religious organisations present commended the Commision for its tireless efforts at sensitisation and awareness on gender-based violence and related offences across the state.
Imam Hudu Ibrahim, who represented the Chairman of Jamatul Nasril Islam (JNI), Alhaji Sambo Mohammed (Emir of Wase), charged religious leaders present to take the message back to their communities, urging them to desist from shielding perpetrators.
Similarly, Rev. Luka Mallaka, representative of the state’s Chairperson of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), said the Commision alone could not stop the rate of such crimes in Plateau, urging all religious bodies in the state to be careful to uphold the rights of minors and not shield perpetrators of such offences.
“They will eventually have God to answer to, if they do not face the repercussions here on earth,” he said.
NAN also reports that some of the cases reported on the rise in the state are sales of children, child labour, child trafficking, molestation, illegal surrogacy/egg harvesting, battery and abandonment of parental responsibility among others. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
By Patience Aliyu