The Lagos State Government, in collaboration with the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), has organised a capacity building programme for key functionaries as part of efforts towards strengthening Child Protection and Case Management.
Declaring open a three-day event held at the Patron Hotel, Sangotedo, Lekki-Epe Expressway, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Dr. Olugbenga Ayoola Aina, said the training was aimed at improving the skills of participants in delivering essential services towards ending violence against women and girls in Lagos State.
According to him, the decision to train key State Actors and Volunteers by the United Nations (UN) agencies implementing the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative was informed by the rising figures of violence against children and the need to create a platform for participants to acquire 21st-Century skills in Child Protection.
The Permanent Secretary added that the programme, which was divided into four batches, was also meant to promote networking opportunities among key state functionaries in Lagos.
On his part, UNICEF Representative and Child Protection Specialist, Mr. Dennis Onoise, commended the good job being done by the Lagos State Government in the area of Child Protection programmes, disclosing that the challenges posed by the menace of child abuse could not be left to the Government alone, hence the training of the key child protection functionaries in the State.
The UNICEF representative urged the participants drawn from NGOs, legal, academic as well as government MDAs to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in discharging their obligations even with more vigour for reduction a of child abuse to the barest minimum.
Some of the topics treated include Overview of Child Protection, Ending Violence Against Children, Denial of Child’s Rights in Nigeria, Principles of Child Protection, State Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy, Child Protection Case Management, Supporting Vulnerable Children and Families under the Child Rights Act and Social Inquiry Report among others.
