Rising teenage pregnancy: Southern Governors wives advocate sex education

www.odogwublog.com reports that worried by the increasing incidents of teenage pregnancy, Wives of Southern Governors have enjoined women to consciously   engage their children in sex education and facts of life as a way of discouraging promiscuity among youths.

This was part of the resolutions reached by the First Ladies after their three- day summit in Umuahia, Abia State capital.

The First Ladies in a communique issued after the summit decried the rising incidents of teenage pregnancy and called on women across the country to unite against the ugly trend.

The communique which was signed by  the Chairperson of the Southern Governors' Wives' Forum (SGWF),  Mrs. Nneoma Nkechi Rochas Okorocha; and Secretary, Mrs Olufunso Amosun, respectively, also expressed worry over the rising cases of cancer among women in developing countries.

SGWF therefore, resolved to,  "through seminars and symposia,  encourage women to do regular medical check-ups and to adopt practices that will particularly detect the early stages of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and cervical cancer, because early detection saves lives."

The First Ladies also frowned at female genital mutilation , and vowed to   engage relevant institutions and stakeholders in a bid to end the harmful practice.

The 12- point communiqué further read: "  That SGWF will encourage and support women to get involved in community services and development

"That the SGWF will initiate enlightenment and advocacy programmes that will encourage children to develop along the lines of their natural talents and abilities.

"That the SGWF frowns at and condemns the maltreatment of widows which come in various guises.

"That the SGWF would be in the vanguard of attitudinal change campaigns so as to eschew unbridled and wicked rumours and the negative practice of women engaged in pulling down fellow women".

They also resolved to make impact in every host state by sponsoring a Project/Programme, hence , the forum empowered 300 indigent women of Abia origin with material and equipment to help them start small businesses and become self reliant.

The Forum took out time to pray for the quick recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari who is currently on medical vacation in London.