BY CALEB AYANSINA
ABUJA—THE Federal Government has expressed desire to effectively engage young men in a White Ribbon Campaign as ambassadors and watchdogs to stop violence against young women.

White Ribbon is an international campaign worldwide to stop violence against women. The White Ribbon vision is that the prevention of violence against women will change the world for better.

Minister of Youth Development, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, will today be hosting a white ribbon conference in Abuja, with the theme “Rape and Sexual violence against Young Nigerian Women” to mark the 2011 White Ribbon Day.

Special Assistant to the minister on Media, Julius Ogunro, in an interview with Vanguard, said:   “The conference ultimately seeks to contribute to changing the mind set, attitude and behaviours that help to perpetuate men’s violence against young girls and women.

“Following the public outcry that followed  ABSU rape saga, the White Ribbon Conference could not come at a more opportune time. It is one of the many interventions that we need to draw more awareness to a growing social malaise.”

“In denouncing the conduct of the young men involved in the ABSU rape saga, the Youth Minister stated that “Rape or violence against women has no place in our society.

“The conference planned by the Youth Minister will undoubtedly generate a much needed momentum for awareness and sensitization in the public domain. This is especially important among our young men, who with the huge peer-group influence they exert, can help to spread the word and help change mind-sets.

“After the White Ribbon Conference it is hoped that civil society organizations will be even more motivated and encouraged to continue to speak out against gender based violence and that governments and NGOs will provide more resources that will help to protect our defenceless young girls from the mental and physical damage of violence.”