Ekiti First Lady inaugurates 80 Gender Officers.

In continuation of the war against sexual harassment in the Public Service, the Wife of Ekiti State Governor Erelu Bisi Fayemi has inaugurated eighty Gender Desk Officers across the State.

Speaking at the inauguration themed ‘Gender Mainstreaming in the Civil Service: The Prospects,’ held at the Government House Grounds on Friday, Erelu Fayemi charged the officers to be at the forefront of the fight against gender-based violence in their respective institutions.
The newly inaugurated Gender Desk Officers are from the 16 Local Government Areas and MDAs in the State Civil Service.

She said the project would institutionalize sustainability in government and address the aspiration of every individual.
The First Lady advised government officials and other stakeholders to revisit the report of the gender audit conducted during Fayemi’s first term and create a gender mainstreaming act in the State Civil Service.

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Wale Fapohunda urged the Desk Officers to familiarize themselves with the laws and policies of gender empowerment in the State.
He assured them of the Ministry of Justice’s support, saying that the officers should see their role as a serious one and always remember that rape is alarming in the State.

While delivering her lecture themed ‘Gender equality in Public Administration: A path to equity and fairness, the Head of Service, Mrs Peju Babafemi said the public service is not tapping the full potential of women in service. She added that work-life balance is a barrier in the civil service, and it is militating against women in their pursuit of a career.
Mrs Babafemi explained that the government needs to strengthen the legislative and policy framework to allow women to achieve their full potentials.

In her Welcome Address, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Alhaja Maryam Ogunlade said the project is to promote gender equality and women empowerment with the emphasis on preventing sexual violence in the workplace.
She maintained that the desk officers would corroborate the government’s effort at achieving fairness and equity in their respective MDAs.

The Gender officers took the oath of office at the event and promised to perform their duty to the best of their ability.