As foundation works on teaching 10 million boys against violence

Over time, researches have shown that aside being victims of violence, youths, especially boys, form the greatest percentage of youths that engage in violence in its various forms within communities, giving rise to concerns that if the trend is not arrested, the future of upcoming generation is at risk.

Indeed, many organizations, both governmental and nongovernmental had taken it upon themselves to change the narrative of youths becoming victims of violence, engaging in acts that can lead to violence, sexual assault especially on minors and being the greatest perpetrators of violence within the society through education on peace building.

But more often, females end up being the focus of many of such educative programmes because they are more prone to be victims of violence and consequently the girls learn more about the role of youths in peace building and the importance of cultivating a violence free society.

But due to the fact that violence is not gender selective and the fight against it should also be a duty for everyone irrespective of gender, some organizations make it a point of duty to reiterate the need to educate both boys and girls on the need not to shun violence and all acts that can lead to it.

One of such nongovernmental bodies is the Morna International Children’s Foundation (MICF), a registered NGO with a mission to nurture and empower children on their fundamental human rights, provide public awareness on the current state of child abuse and neglect in Nigeria and spread programs that focus on advocating prevention and early intervention in child abuse and neglect through public education.

MICF is founded by Bukola Afolabi Ogunyeye, a strong advocate who relentlessly campaigns against child abuse, its prevention and assists victims of sexual abuses has a strong focus also on educating the male child against violence from childhood.

Ogunyeye who also promotes the rights of the Nigerian child has a vision is to build a world where children are respected and protected from all forms of abuse. And it is against this backdrop that she initiated a project tagged, Ten million boys against violence.

MICF in collaboration with GreenLeaves Connect Development Initiative launched the Ten million boys against violence in March 2017 in Ikotun area of Alimosho Local Government in Lagos state, to spread the campaign of war against violence among young boys.

The ten million boys against violence project, conceived out of concern regarding the many cases of violence meted out against the girl child in Nigeria, is an ongoing seminar for young boys in secondary and primary schools is designed as a long term project which aims to end  on all forms of violence against women and girls in Nigeria.

The project seeks to also put a stop to the violations of human rights of girls and women which is a general global problem and the focus is on young boys and youths based on the belief that when you get them enlightened early in life, they will grow up living a life devoid of violence.

The boys that were part of the programme were taught of the need not to resort to violence when it comes to girls and to treat women with respect. Ten million boys against violence employs various methods in order to reach different categories of boys; campaigns, rallies, seminars and workshops takes place in every quarter of the year and the project is expected to spread across every state of the federation.

The first edition held at Akod College, Odo eran , Ikotun, Lagos and had in attendance over 250 boys from various secondary and primary schools within Lagos while the second edition held at Hogas International Schools in Ketu with over 350 boys in attendance.

And the exercise was not in vain as follow up on participants and feedbacks continues to encourage and give the initiator of the project great hope that lessons were well learnt.

“I have learnt that every girl has a fundamental human right and I also learnt that a wise man will not be a rapist because only a foolish man would commit rape,” one of the secondary school boys stated.

And for another participant at the seminar, it was time to take action. “I learnt that it is not good to rape. We should say no to rape and protect the girl child,” he said while another added that, “I learnt that we should stand up for the rights of women and girls. I learnt that without women, a man can’t be successful. I learnt that women make the society a better place so we shouldn’t molest them directly or indirectly. And as the foundation continues to move towards its agenda of 10 million boys, those that have been trained have learnt to say no to rape and violence.