The Programme Officer, Women Development and Child Right Programme of JDPC, Mr. Olanipekun Ayorinde, made the call during a two-day capacity-building and workshop on the abuse of minors and vulnerable adults in Oyo and Osun states in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Ayorinde emphasised that enforcement of the laws would check further abuse of minors and vulnerable adults. He said: “One of the steps the Oyo and Osun states have taken is to make laws. The laws are already in place to protect the children. Both Oyo and Osun states have the Child Right Laws. But then, they need to work more on the implementation of these laws. Part of it is what we are doing now to see that those that are concerned or have children in their care know what is within the law and understand the content of the law. Once the law is implemented, the children are protected.
‘’The states should design measures to see to the implementation of the available laws to protect children from abuse. Once they know that some people have been prosecuted, it will serve as a check for others not to do the same thing. They should encourage everyone, especially through public enlightenment, to carry out their roles towards responsibility to the children.”
Speaking on the essence of the workshop, the programme officer added: “The purpose of this training is to build the capacity of child handlers, stakeholders that handle children and have children in their care so that they will understand more about the children and understand more about what constitutes the abuse of children and vulnerable adults.