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Lagos Wants UN To Confirm May 16 As International Day Of The Boy Child

The first lady, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, made the call on Monday at the inaugural parenting seminar held at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, the state capital.

The Lagos State government has renewed the call for the United Nations (UN) to fully integrate and recognise May 16 as the International Day of the Boy Child.
The first lady, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, made the call on Monday at the inaugural parenting seminar held at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, the state capital.

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She said the yearly commemoration of the International Day of the Boy Child would deepen initiatives and interventions targeted at promoting the interest, welfare, and wellbeing of the Boy Child across the world.
Speaking during the Seminar tagged: “Parenting The 21st Century Boy Child: A Pathway To Transformation,” the First Lady said the seminar was aimed at ensuring that parents have an in-depth understanding of the nitty-gritty of effective approaches to the upbringing of the boy child in order to address the social vices such as rape, drug abuse, cultism, bullying, and others. 
“Our Boy Child Interventions are aimed at making a positive difference. It is gratifying that it is already catching the fancy of the International Community, and I must say we are open to partnerships to scale up our programs to support the boy child and secure their future.     
“Parents have a lot to do to address the plight of the boy child. The issue of the boy child is a burning one that parents must pay special attention to because if we don’t, the boy child is at risk.
“As parents, for instance, we need to desist from exerting pressure on our boys; we need to kick out drug abuse; we just have to focus on all issues affecting the boy child,” she said.
Also, some experts who attended the seminar emphasized on the need for parents to give quality time to their children and improve the communication line in the family, while also leading by example to teach boys good values, especially the need to respect the rights of others.
The seminar was attended by stakeholders drawn from various groups including wives of government officials, government functionaries, traditional and community leaders, market associations, religious and professional bodies, security agencies, youth voluntary groups, orphanages, correctional facilities, and people living with disabilities, among others.

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