25th September, 2019
Lagos State Government has unveiled a policy document as a well as a Comprehensive Sexuality Education, CSE curriculum for the youth population in the state with an assurance that issues pertaining to youth will continue to receive due attention from the government.
The Youth policy document provides a comprehensive and well-considered framework that clearly articulates issues among young people, and provides a road-map for addressing these needs based on some available evidences while it also contained the commitment of the state government to some of these issues.
Speaking at the unveiling of the document at the Youth Centre, Ikeja, the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr. Segun Dawodu said that the documents represents beyond mere words, the importance which the present administration attaches to issues affecting the youth population.
According to him, cursory attention would now be paid to the rights of the youth than it has ever been, stressing that the state government could now be held responsible and accountable to its commitment as enunciated in the youth policy document.
“The Lagos State Youth Policy document contains commitments by government, the youths of Lagos State and the society in pursuance of youth growth and development,” Dawodu added.
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 quality of life.
According to the Commissioner, “Evolving socio-economic issues, new and innovative opportunities coupled with the peculiarities of the State made a review of the existing policy inevitable and essential.”
He added that it is the desire of the State Government to ensure that the youth population is provided with a high quality of life, guarantee the realization of their potentials and also provide a level playing field for them to become veritable assets to the State’s economic and social developments.
Speaking on the Comprehensive Sexuality Education, the Commissioner maintained that the health and well-being of young people in the State is also significant in order for them to reach their potentials.
He added 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, CSE 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.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs. Yewande Falugba said that the effective implementation of the policies rests on all the Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the State Government, MDAs, youth organizations, 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 the need for all MDAs critically consider the youth population, give them priority in programme planning as well as make adequate budgetary allocation for them.
She called on all the concerned stakeholders to give the needed impetus for the realization of the policy documents.