Hundreds of teenage girls, aged between 11 and 17 years, staged a peaceful protest on Wednesday in Magboro, Obafemi/Owode local government area of Ogun State, against sexual harassment.
The girls carried placards and banners with messages such as “Let Girls Walk in Peace,” “Sexual Harassment is Not Fun.
It is a Crime and You Will Be Punished by the Law,” “Street Harassment is Not a Compliment,” “Say No to Sexual Harassment,” and “Stop Them Before They Stop You.”
The protest was organized under the auspices of the “Platform for Amplifying the Voice and Empowerment of Girls (PAVE)” and was mobilized by the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) HACEY, in partnership with Empower for the PAVE project.
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The girls, wearing white T-shirts, marched through the streets of the Magada area of Ibafo to raise awareness about the issue of sexual harassment.
Damilola Oyetunji, the Coordinator for the Ogun State project of PAVE, expressed concern over the harassment faced by young girls in the area, stating that it was alarming that they could not move freely in the community after 6:00 PM without facing harassment.
She lamented that many young girls had been reportedly raped, leading to unwanted pregnancies. Oyetunji stated that the rally aimed to educate girls on self-protection and appropriate interactions with the opposite sex. The NGO also conducts awareness programs in schools to educate girls on self-care.
During the protest, Mrs. Mercy Olatunde, a registered birth attendant, shared her experience of handling several cases of teenage pregnancies, often involving girls without reliable partners.
She praised the NGO for organizing the rally and called on parents to better protect their daughters to prevent exposure to situations that could lead to rape, ensuring their futures are not jeopardized.
The protest highlighted the persistent issue of sexual harassment and the need for greater community awareness and protection for young girls.