…As Oluwatoyin, Bamidele Call for Stronger Child Protection
The call comes as the Young Child In School Initiative (YCISI), the flagship programme of Event Diary Lifestyle, keys into the campaign with its SGBV Check advocacy, aimed at creating greater awareness and encouraging adults to take action to protect children.
Speaking on the need for stronger child protection, Oluwatoyin A.Y., a faith-based child advocate, said society must learn to listen when children communicate distress through their words and behaviour.
She urged adults to pay attention when a child suddenly becomes withdrawn, fearful, aggressive or reluctant to be around a particular person.
According to her, children need safe adults who will listen without judgment, believe them and respond appropriately when they disclose abuse.
She also warned families against protecting reputations or relationships at the expense of children, stressing that protecting a child must be more important than keeping a family secret.
“Silence does not preserve a family. Sometimes silence simply gives abuse more room to continue,” she said.
Oluwatoyin also called on schools and faith communities to establish effective safeguarding systems and ensure that concerns raised by children are treated seriously.
She said children should be taught about body safety, personal boundaries, inappropriate behaviour and how to seek help when something does not feel right.
For Bamidele Farinre, a STEM leader and advocate for equity and inclusion, child protection is not the responsibility of parents or government alone.
She said families, schools, religious organisations, community leaders, professionals and ordinary citizens all had a role to play in keeping children safe.
Bamidele noted that children did not always have the words to describe abuse, fear or coercion, making it important for adults to recognise warning signs.
She also drew attention to the growing risks children face online, including grooming, cyberbullying, exploitation and inappropriate content.
She urged parents to become more involved in their children's digital lives and provide guidance on how to navigate online spaces safely.
Speaking on the campaign, the Convener of the Young Child In School Initiative, Princess Adeola Shittu, said the Purple Month campaign provided an opportunity to move the conversation around SGBV from awareness to action.
She said YCISI was using its platform to encourage children to understand their rights while helping adults recognise their responsibility to protect them.
Adeola said the SGBV Check campaign was a reminder that preventing abuse required everyone to look, listen and act.
“We cannot wait until a child is harmed before we decide to care. Our children are not only our future; they are our responsibility today.”
