By Jimitota Onoyume

Founder Ruth Gender Foundation ,  Mrs Ruth Edema ,  Chief Superintendent of Police ,CSP Agbede Zuokumor  and other speakers at a one day capacity building programme by Ruth Gender Foundation on the rights and responsibilities of the girl child in Warri , Delta state tagged ” She Can” enjoined the female child to confront challenges with the zeal and determination to succeed.

Mrs Edema urged the Delta state government to integrate karate training in secondary school system to  enable the girl child develop physical self defence capacity in the face of life threatening situations, , adding that  girls should also explore  verbal defence to protect themselves from abuse .

” Verbal defence is about using words to defend yourself from attacks. Learn to set boundaries. This is where verbal defence helps. Use words like ” stop it”, ” you are harassing me , stop it”, ” leave me alone ” and so on , to halt a potential abuser from going ahead with his sinister act “she said.

The female participants drawn from secondary schools in Warri and environs were given jotters, biros, rollon and so on. Some of the students won prizes from games at the event.

CSP Zuokumor , Pastor Edewor Egedegbe and Mr  Emmanuel Epkoto charged the girl child to be confident in the drive to excel in chosen field, stressing that females  should refuse to accept limitations placed on the girl child by society.

” The most beautiful thing you can wear is confidence. It will strengthen you to realize your dreams, goals you set for your selves “, Epkoto said.

On his part Edewor said the girl child should pursue her  vision passionately , avoiding distractions. He listed several women that rose to the top of their careers  like Dr Mrs Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Director General World Trade Organisation. 

CSP Zuokumor  who is also the Divisional Police officer, DPO Ugborikoko police station, Bendel estate , charged the girl child to learn to compete favourably with the male counterpart, believing that they got the same training and opportunities .

She further urged the girl child to always speak out to scare abusers like pedophiles and others, adding that they should always dress decently.

” Be the police of your body. Learn to dress decently. Your appearance matters, dress decently always.

” You must speak out when there is a threat from anyone around you towards  you. Don’t keep quiet . Shout aloud , run away. Don’t keep silent because of fear “, she said.

The females students later went through a  brief training karate session on self defence.

The students expressed gratitude for the programme , saying they had learnt much on the rights and responsibilities of the girl child.