The UN Information Centre (UNIC) in Lagos in collaboration with an NGO - The Nigerian Environmental Society (NES) Lagos Chapter, marked World Environmental Day 2013 on 07 June at a market in Mushin Local Government area of Lagos called ‘Daleko’.

The event which was based on the theme for this year’s celebration: “Think Eat. Save. Reduce your Foodprint” was attended by over 250 participants including women and men from the market, Mushin Local Government Officials, Environment Staff of the Local Government (LAWMA), NGOs and Media organizations.
 
As speeches were being delivered in the English language, they were also being translated to the local language –‘ Yoruba’ for the benefit of the non-literate amongst the market women and men.

Participants were welcomed to the event by the Vice Chairman of Mushin Local Government who laid emphasis on food conservation and sustainability in his address. Thereafter the UN Secretary- General’s message was read by UNIC’s Officer-in-charge, Mrs. Olajumoke Araba.

The Nigerian Environmental Society (NES) Vice-Chairman – Mr. Eugene Itua, delivered the keynote address laying emphasis on the theme of the event.

Dr. Adeniyi Sanyanolu also from NES delivered the main paper for the event titled “Preservation and Risk of Food Waste”. As he was addressing majorly market women and men who are not all literate, he spoke mainly in the Yoruba language which was understood by majority of the participants. In his speech, he implored the market women and men to store raw food materials like grains properly especially during the rainy season, as raw food gets spoilt when soaked by flood waters. He added that such food should not be sold to the public.

There were some goodwill messages from the market men and women. They expressed their appreciation for such a programme being brought to their market. They indicated taking action to avoid food loss and waste and promised to inform others.

Fliers titled “Some Food Waste Facts” were shared to all participants and throughout the market to those who did not attend the event.

This event was aired on Radio 96.5FM on the same day, on Television stations including - Channels TV, Silverbird TV (STV) and Lagos TV (LTV). It was also published by The Guardian, The Nation and ThisDay newspapers.

UNIC Lagos, in collaboration with the NGO – Women’s Board Educational Co-operation Society (NGO in Consultative Status with the ECOSOC of the UN, working for the development of the Nigerian woman), organized an NGO/Media Forum on Wednesday 15 May on the Preparations of the twentieth anniversary of the Year of the Family and the Observance of the International Day of Families 2013.

The forum was held to create awareness of this anniversary and spread the importance of the family in the society in the context of the themes to guide the preparations for the twentieth anniversary, which are: confronting family poverty and social exclusion; ensuring work-family-balance; advancing social integration and intergenerational solidarity of which the theme for 2013 International Day of the Family is “Advancing social integration and intergenerational solidarity”.

About 61 participants including NGOs, Civil Society and Media organizations attended the forum, which was held at the UNIC Lagos.

Guest speakers were Dr. Franca Attoh, a Lecturer at the Department of Sociology, University of Lagos, who spoke on “Advancing Social Integration and Intergenerational Solidarity”; and Dr. Oscar Nliam, who has a doctorate in Law, and is a senior associate at Kenna Partners, Barrister/Solicitors, spoke on “The Family in the Nigerian Law: The Legal Mechanisms for empowering the Nigerian Children through Education”.

In her speech, Dr. Attoh spoke about the Marginalization and Identity Crisis of our youth who are neither Nigerians nor Westerners. She proffers a solution by suggesting that a policy of mentoring should be established so as to encourage the older generation to work with young persons in order to impact knowledge and entrust them with certain roles. ‘The youths being the future of this great country, we cannot but shape them right’. Dr. Attoh is of the opinion that in this 21st century, society should look beyond these two factors (that is Social integration and intergenerational solidarity) and begin to focus on new frontiers such as bridging the general space and resuscitating the core values such as integrity, hard work, fortitude and justice which hitherto were the bedrock of the human society.

Dr. Nliam, in his speech enumerated the International and Domestic laws on Education. Education being a fundamental Human Right. He dealt extensively on Education as tool to empower the families and how the Nigerian Law supports this tool but this must not be regarded as a government function but as a function of all citizens concerned.

Dr. Nliam went further to stress that education was a tool for empowerment and should aim to impact positive change morally, socially and intellectually on the child. It should also aim to stimulate critical attitudes in young children, inculcate the habit of social solidarity, tolerance and integration for a better and peaceful society. He concluded with a quote from ‘Hosea Ballon’ that says: “Education commences at mothers knee, and every word spoken within the hearsay of little children should tend towards the formation of character”. This should be the aim of any responsible parent.

The discussions, remarks and questions after the speeches gave credence and support to the speeches of the Speakers.

UNIC Lagos in collaboration with NGO – Treasureland Health Builders Initiative, organized a symposium to mark International Women’s Day.

The event which was held at Christ 1st Entertainment Centre was attended by over one hundred participants including students and their teachers from five secondary schools, National Youth Service Corp members, Youth NGOs, Local Government officials, the Local Chief of the area and representatives from State Police Command and the media.

The video “One Woman” was screened followed by that the Secretary-General’s campaign - “A promise is a promise”. There was a playlet directed by a Youth Corp member and a song by a female Youth Corp member all on the theme of the international Day.

The highlight of the observance was a discussion session by six youths (three males and three females). Some of the issues they discussed include:
- Physical Violence (Wife battering, rape, sexual assault etc.)
- Women being forced to accept their husband’s religious beliefs
- Women violating their fellow women and girls
- Lack of empowerment for women and girls
- Women being regarded as second class citizens
- Sexual assault from male teachers and lecturers against women and girls in schools
- Some fathers raping their female children

The group came up with the following resolutions:
- There is need for public enlightenment on issues of eliminating violence against women and girls.
- There must be police protection for the informant that reports those violating the rights of women and girls.
- The media should promote educative programmes rather than programmes that depict violence.
- All individuals should act as watchdogs for their neighbors
- Women and girls should seek information through reading
- Men should support women rather than abuse them.
- Parents should be friends to their children especially the girls so that they are not hesitant to relate issues.
- Girls need to be smart
- There should be instant justice for violators of women’s right

Below are links to the discussion that took place:
http://youtu.be/5qLlxBfEsgc               
 http://youtu.be/RDID_YbMfoA                  
 http://youtu.be/JM0_FbHLFrM

UNIC Lagos marked the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust on 29 January at Fountain Heights Secondary School. The event was attended by a total of 172 participants from 5 senior secondary schools, the media and two NGOs.

The Day started with a short address by the Officer-in-charge of UNIC Lagos who inaugurated an exhibition titled “Diplomats”, which honors 13 diplomats who put their lives on the line to help thousands of Jews escape certain death during the Holocaust. This was in tune with this year’s theme for the Day “Rescue during the Holocaust: The Courage to Care”.

In addition, the film “The Rescuers” was screened. To ensure the message of the film was truly understood, it was paused at a few intervals in which a moderator from the youth NGO - Global Alert for the Defence of Youth and the Less Privileged (GADYLP), gave a short history about Adolf Hitler’s perverted ideology of Aryan perfection.

After the screening, a lively and interactive discussion ensued with students condemning in strong terms the actions of Adolf Hitler and his collaborators and appreciating the UN for setting aside a day to celebrate the heroes and heroines as a way of paying tribute to those who risked their lives and those of their families to save others during the Holocaust and other genocides elsewhere. The students called for a moment of silence in respect of the millions that died during the Holocaust and one remarked after, “If we emulate their examples, we can help to build a better Nigeria, Africa and the world today”. The students also decided to spread what they had learnt through various social networks including facebook and YouTube.

Relating what they learnt to Nigerian context, the students condemned the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria. They opined that since Christians and Muslims were created by the same Almighty God, the bloodshed and blood bath from Boko Haram had no basis, hence should stop forthwith.

The event was aired by Channels Television in the news at 6.00, 7.00, 8.00 and 10.00pm the same evening.