Lagos State government has unveiled a policy document and comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) curriculum for the youth population with an assurance that issues relating to the youth are now to be accorded priority.
The policy document provides a comprehensive and well-considered framework, and clearly articulates the roadmap on how to address needs of youth.
At the unveiling of the document in Ikeja on Thursday, the state commissioner for youth and social development, Segun Dawodu said that the document underscored the importance that the present administration attaches to the youth population.
According to him, greater attention would now be paid to the rights of the youth than ever before, stressing that the state government was offering itself to be held responsible and accountable to its commitment as enunciated in the policy document.
“The Lagos State youth policy document contains commitments by government, the youth of Lagos State and the society in pursuance of youth growth and development,” Dawodu stated.
He recalled that the state government adopted the National Youth Policy of 2009 with a view to entrenching a sustainable youth agenda that would engender meaningful youth engagement and enhance the quality of life.
In his words: “Evolving socio-economic issues, new and innovative opportunities coupled with the peculiarities of Lagos made a review of the existing policy inevitable and essential”.
Dawodu added that it is the desire of the government to ensure that the youth population have a quality life that will guaranteed the realisation of their potential and also provide a level playing field to become assets towards achieving the Lagos’ economic and social development goals.
Speaking on the CSE, the commissioner said that the good health and wellbeing of young people in the state are also essential to enable them to reach their potentials.
He revealed that the CSE was designed to enlighten the youth in the non-formal vocational institutions, especially on sexual health, rights and issues.
“The implementation of this Comprehensive Sexuality Education curriculum will improve access to adequate and correct information for young people, improve their abilities to make informed decisions about their own sexual and reproductive lives and exercise their sexual and reproductive rights”, he explained.
The permanent secretary in the ministry, Yewande Falugba said that the effective implementation of the policies rests on all the ministries, departments and agencies of the government, youth organisations, the private sector, the civil society and the general public.
She said that the document among others would assist all stakeholders to address the issue of youth development holistically and advised all MDAs to critically consider the youth population, give them priority in programme planning as well as make adequate budgetary allocations for them.
Falugba, therefore, called on all the concerned stakeholders to give the needed impetus for the realisation of the policy objectives.
JOSHUA BASSEY
