LAGOS State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, yesterday, urged Nigerian women to campaign vigorously for the establishment of a State Police in the country as a means of ensuring their protection and that of their children against abuse. He said women issues in crime management has been subordinated by the challenges of insecurity in the country.

Fashola, who spoke at the Eko Hotel and Suites venue of the 14th National Women’s Conference with the theme, “Embracing and Managing Change”, organized by the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials, COWLSO, said the nation’s policing capacity requirement would never be sufficient to enforce the numerous laws and policies made to protect women and children against abuse without the institution of State Police.

Recalling that his administration instituted the Child Rights Law, the Criminal Justice Act for pregnant women and made post-partum depression a criminal defence under the State’s law, among other laws for the protection of women and children in the State, Fashola, however, said without sufficient policing capacity, government can only hope that those entrusted with the enforcement would “act voluntarily”.

He listed other laws to protect the rights of women and children to include Law Against Domestic Violence and Abuse which led to the establishment of a Transit Home in Alimosho for women and children who are victims of domestic violence and the extension of maternity leave for nursing mothers.