By Prisca Nguzo
Youths in Imo State have been urged to embrace peace, shun gender based violence, societal stereotypes and all forms of social vices for the general well-being, development and progress of their families, communities and society at large.
Program Manager, Community Life Project, Celine Osukwu gave the advice at a one-day training of youth leaders in Owerri North Council Area of the state on, "The Role of Male Leaders in Building Just and Healthy Families in the Communities", held in Owerri, weekend.
Osukwu said the training was designed to encourage grassroots youth leaders to contribute to peaceful coexistence and ensure a safe, just and healthy families and communities.
She said, "there's need to create awareness within the youth fora on issues concerning their environment that if not well handled could trigger violence. There's no law that assigns any particular roles to either the boys or girls. Everybody should be allowed to develop to their full potential."
Osukwu further called on the youths to learn to be supportive of each other and change their mindset around sociological perspectives that deal with gender roles created often by the society.
“The community leaders, youths and stakeholders need to come together to address those issues that are prone to causing troubles within the communities and families. There’s need to stop gender based violence in the society, sexual harassment, human trafficking, child and drug abuse, prostitution, among other social vices. We need to together create safe space for open communication that engenders unity, peace as well as ensure healthy families, communities and society."
The participants, including Emmanuel Uche, Chinedu Uwakwe and Timothy Mgbudem hinted that they have learnt from the training sound knowledge on how not to treat the female folks, stressing that everyone deserve equal opportunity to live their full potentials and succeed in life.
"My mindset has changed and I will continue to ensure that no one is marginalized nor treated based on stereotypes that are no longer in vogue. We are made equal and should therefore treat and respect one another accordingly." Uche said
