Bode Akinbode
The Oyo State government in collaboration with a non-governmental organization SOS Childrens Village Nigeria, have set up a 30-member Technical Working Group to work out guidelines for alternative care for vulnerable children in the state.
The group was inaugurated on Tuesday after a two-day capacity building for stakeholders held at the UI Venture, University of Ibadan , Ibadan.
Members of the TWG were drawn from the state Ministries of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Education, Local Government, civil society organizations , the Christian and Muslim communities in the state.
Others included representatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Nigeria Customs Service and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficked Persons
The head of the committee who is also the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Grace Oderinde urged members to ensure that the right policies that will bring relief and hope to vulnerable children in the state were put in place.
Oderinde, while describing as deplorable and pathetic the living conditions of vulnerable children in orphanage homes, charged the members to fashion out appropriate alternative care programmes as being done in advanced countries of the world for these categories of children.
She described the workshop as an eye- opener for everyone to see the need to bring children in orphanages into families so that they too can have better care and a good life.
The perm sec said, “Instead of looking for house girl or boy, imagine if every family picks one of them and they care for them as if they are their biological children, our society will be better today.”
The Deputy National Director, SOS Childrens Village, Nigeria, Ayodeji Adelopo said the two-day training has become necessary as a result of the need to improve and put in place quality alternative care in the state
“It is to ensure that children who do not have the privilege of living with their families and who are being looked after receives quality care and also to define a range of alternative care so that according to the United Nations guideline on alternative care, the principles of necessity suitability are considered in placing children on alternative care.”
The Deputy National Director, SOS Childrens Village, Nigeria ,Ayodeji Adelopo stated that the objective of the the two -day training has become necessary as a result of the need to improve and put in place quality alternative care in the state
“It is to ensure that children who do not have the privilege of living with their families and who are being looked after receives quality care and also to define a range of alternative care so that according to the United Nations guideline on alternative care, the principles of necessity suitability are considered in placing children on alternative care
Speaking on behalf of the Civil Society Organizations in Oyo state, the State Coordinator, Association For Orphans and Vulnerable children in Nigeria(AONN) who also doubles as the Founder and Executive Director of FRONTIDA ZOIS Initiative (FZI) ,Mrs Petra Ogunfowokan , maintained that so many vulnerable children in the state lacks access quality education, nutrition and good shelter .
“We have street children concerns , issues around protection, children exposed to abuse, all forms of violations against their rights and these are burdens in our hearts. Most of these concerns are as a result of poverty at the household levels. “she said
Representatives of the Christian and Muslim faith at the event, Pastor Leye Adefioye, who is also the President, Rest Anchor Total Child Parenting Association Foundation and Alhaji Suleiman Abanise representing the Muslim community in Oyo state said the training will provide an umbrella advantage for vulnerable children to have relief from all stakeholders such as government, Civil Society Organizations and even religion bodies.
The SOS Village is an international non-governmental organization spread across 137 countries of the world including Nigeria with passion for the welfare and care for vulnerable children across the globe.
