Ondo Govt. To Provide Shelter For Domestic Violence Victims

In an effort to Alleviate the suffering of women who have or are suffering from domestic violence, the Ondo State government has promised to make available a temporary shelter to shield these troubled women.

Mrs. Olawunmi Olatunji-Edet the Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development in the state revealed this in Akure on Friday at an event to mark the 2018 International Day of Family and Widows Day in the state.

International Widows Day is a United Nations ratified day of action to address the “poverty and injustice faced by millions of widows and their dependents in many countries”.

The commemoration of the two days, according to the commissioner was a merged into one this year due to time constraint.

She stated that the event was out to ensure that wealth is created for the poor, while also advocating the need to improve the standard of living of families and widows

According to her, the wellbeing of the society and widows in the society was the main intention for initiating the day by the United Nation.

The Punch report that she said that the existing Family Counselling and Reconciliation Centres in the state will be upgraded and strengthened to be able to serve the state better.

“The family, as the basic unit of the society and main agent of socialisation, will continue to be improved upon to enable it to function effectively,” Olatunji-Edet said.

A lecturer at the Department of Social Development, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Mrs Olanireti Alabi, while speaking, advocated for laws that would specially protect the interest of the widows in the society.

Mrs. Alabi assured that violence among couples, widows and children would be curtailed if government at all levels play their role in formulating policies and programmes that would do so.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there were empowerment programmes for women and widows at the various local government areas of the state including the provision of financial relief to extremely distressed families.

Soap making, Adire making, food processing, among others skills would also be introduced to affected women.