Upbringing, as well as cultural beliefs about male superiority to the female gender remains a major cause of abuse, hence the need to raise male champions who would help to eradicate Gender Based Violence (GBV) in secondary schools and communities where there are lots of students with delinquencies.

Commissioner for women affairs and social development, Mrs Funmilayo Efuwape stated this in her keynote address at a two day peer educator training for fifty male champions on Asrh, Rape, Sexual / Domestic Violence and Personality development, held at Court Marcque Suite, Ibara Housing Estate, Abeokuta.

According to Efuwape, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs Melutia Ogunremi, the programme which is in collaboration with the United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA), cannot be more timely than now, when all kinds of vices were seen and heard of, adding that it was essential for the male child to have adequate knowledge on Gender Based Violence and other related sexual abuse, since most of the perpetrators were males. 

In her welcome address the Director, Women Empowerement Services, Mrs Wonuola Kassim noted that a lot of attention had been placed on the Girl child over the years towards reducing gender based violence  owing to the believe that girls were vulnerable to all forms of violence than the boys.

 "Researches have made us to understand that million of boys are coerced into unwanted sex putting them at risk of sexually transmitted diseases  and it is important to note that boys are first molested while  parents have also refused to speak out believing that boys don't cry, which in one way or the other affect their mental health and their personalities", she stated

She further advised  the male gender to protect themselves and their communities from all forms of violence, build their capacity so that they would not  end up being  perpetrators but serve as role models  to their generation.

The guest lecturer, Mr. Samuel Abimbade, representating UNFPA, lectured the students on body  components, development as well as stages of growth; from puberty to adolescent and adulthood. 

He advised that as male child, they should ensure that nothing affect their self esteem, saying the body image could be influenced by many factors including the media, personal feelings about puberty, as well as social attitude about disabilities.

Messsers Matanmi Ismail, from Anglican High School, Ogbe, Adeyinka Abiodun, from Methodist High School, and Sulaimon Abideen, from  Egba High School appreciated the state government as well as UNFPA for the training which has added value to their life, promising to pass the message to others in their various schools.