Veterinarians Association of Nigeria (FEVAN), Oyo State Chapter, held an outreach on Friday, 8^th of March 2024 to celebrate the uniqueness the female gender in commemoration of this year’s International Women’s Day. FEVAN took her campaign towards the total girl child to Abadina College, University of Ibadan. Female students were taken through a series of seminars and workshops on the theme of this year’s Women’s Day “Inspire Inclusion”. The Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Professor Olufunke E. Ola-Davies, explained that the purpose of the outreach was to share how women should be included, ensuring equity and equality, bringing women on board to be in leadership positions and to ensure that young girls are well-trained. Issues ranging from sexual abuse, saying no to drugs and substances and entrepreneurship skills were shared with the students. After the teaching sessions, sanitary pads were distributed to the students.

Speaking to CEOAFRICA, Prof Ola-Davies maintain that every society that must make significant and sustained progress, must learn and practise the act of including the female gender. She further explained that professional attainment is never the exclusive of men saving females also can be veterinarians, they can do well and be in leadership positions while remaining home makers. According to Professor Ola-Davies, it was time for accomplished female professionals in the society to be more deliberate in the mentorship of young girls, and that the choice of Abadina College for this exercise was borne out of two reasons: charity must begin at home and that it is better to catch the girls young before are caught by abusers and those who do not mean well for them. She called on the girls to value and maintain their dignity right from early age as it will become a thing of pride for them later in life.

Also speaking, an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Dr Adenike Olatunji-Akioye raised concerns over sexual abuse against female students. She however expressed her dissatisfaction of the situation where the society does not and is not ready to rise to the occasion on the issue. Dr Adenike Olatunji-Akioye said it is sad to explain the trauma the girl child goes through when the people she trusts become her abuser, from physical abuse to sexual abuse. She emphasised the need for the girls to always speak out as abuses thrive in secrecy. In her words, “for the many girls who do not know where to go, we are here to say there is help for you all. The culture of silence over sexual abuse needs to stop.”

In addition, Dr Adetolase Bakre, also a lecturer from the faculty told the girls that being a woman is a great thing in the society maintaining that they are the actual future leaders of the society as females. Responding, the female students appreciated the gesture by the Female Veterinarians Association of Nigeria (FEVAN), the women wing of the Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association of Nigeria. The girls were happy that there could be a group of female professionals they can not only emulate but also rely on in the face of societal decadence especially the breakdown of trust in the handling of sexual abuse. The outreach concluded with distribution of free sanitary towels/pads to each participant