By Magdalene Ukuedojor

Mr EricJames Ochigbo is all smiles and pride as he strides into his office; as a journalist, his work hours are spent investigating reports, attending events and meeting deadlines.

This radiance is not from breaking a big news story or catching up with a long sought-after news source, but purely of rest and bonding.

Ochigbo, after a 14 working day paternity leave, can bounce back to work happy, rested and fulfilled.

“I had my first baby, a baby girl, in December.

“Luckily for me, paternity leave was approved by the Federal Government the month before, without it, I wouldn’t know how to cope with my busy work schedule.

“My wife gave birth towards the end of the year, a festive and very busy period, it would have been very difficult to cope with the delivery and work, being a first-time dad.

“When I took out the 14 days, it gave me time to rest because the pressure of work was taken off me and then I was able to concentrate more on the demands of fatherhood.

“I took over the cooking and I carried the baby a lot and we bonded very closely; I rocked the baby while my wife rested.

“This way, she healed faster and was stronger to care for her when I returned to work.

“It was a wonderful time, I wish men could be given more days,” Ochigbo said.

Since the establishment of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in 1976, the media outfit where Ochigbo works, no male officer had enjoyed paternity leave prior to his.

The Nigerian Civil and Public Service did not institute paternity leave for male officers until 2022 when the feat was accomplished by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Administration.

Government prioritised women who benefitted immensely from maternity leave over the years while men clamoured for same.

Now, based on the circular with ref no: HCSF/SPSO/ODD/NCE/RR/650309/3, dated 25th November, 2022, men in the federal civil service, are entitled to paternity leave.

The then Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, said the leave was in line with the provisions of the Public Service Rules, 2021 Edition.

“Government has approved paternity leave for serving male officers whose spouse delivers a baby.

“The period of the leave shall be fourteen working days. The leave shall not be more than once in two years, and for maximum of four children,” she said.

The Federal Government went further to ensure that families with adopted babies were equally captured in the circular and reviewed Public Service Rules.

“Where the family of a male officer adopts a child under four months old, the officer will similarly enjoy paternity leave for a period of fourteen working days,” Yemi-Esan said.

What are the requirements needed to obtain paternity leave in the Federal Civil Service?

The male officer must be married and known to be married.

He must provide the Expected Date of Delivery’s report of his wife or evidence of approval of the adoption of the child by the relevant government bodies.

He must apply for the leave with the documents.

He can only be granted the leave once in two years.

How did the Federal Government achieve this feat?

Yemi-Esan explained that different union bodies clamoured for it, noting that bonding was important to help a newly born or adopted baby properly bond with the father in the early period.

Also, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) looked into international best practices in other climes, brainstormed at different stakeholders’ committees for a template.

The OHCSF, responsible for the leadership, management and capacity development of the Federal Civil Service to implement federal government’s policies and programmes, included the paternity leave in the reviewed Public Service Rules.

Mr Lawrence Nwaka, Special Assistant to the Permanent Secretary, Service Policies and Strategies Office, OHCSF, said that the reviewed rule was presented at the Federal Executive Council Meeting for approval.

“The paternity leave is a response of the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation to the yearnings and aspirations of male civil servants.

“Who would love to be with their wives in the days following the delivery of their newborn babies in order to provide fatherly care for both mother and child.

“The circular emanated after the approval of the Public Service Rule 2021 at the Federal Executive Council; paternity leave wasn’t there in the last Public Service Rule 2008.

“It was reviewed, so following the review, it was necessary to include it in the Public Service Rule; it is one of the new items included in the new Public Service Rules 2021,” he said.

What impact has this leave created for male civil servants?

“It is most welcome; since we commenced implementation of the paternity leave, a lot of male civil servants have benefitted from it.

“People go on paternity leave and when they come back they are all beaming with smiles and you know it is new, we are beginning to see joy in the hearts of men.

“I tell you, taking care of four children myself, it is not easy for a mother, especially those that pass through caesarean section to cope alone.

“I wish we were able to make it one month; it would have been sweeter but 14 working days is like three weeks.

“I think it’s a very good beginning, maybe as time goes on the rule may be reviewed,” Nwaka said.

More so, a cross-section of views from male officers in federal establishments showed the challenges men faced combining work with the home front, especially during delivery and first few months with a newborn.

Mr Tomilayo Adedeji, an administrative officer and father of three, said he almost got a query from his office when his last child was born in 2019.

He opted for casual leave to attend the child’s naming ceremony.

“With my third child, I was called from the office that my wife had delivered so I rushed to the hospital.

“Because of running here and there to do some things, I couldn’t come to the office for two days; my supervisor then was very cross.

“I had to apply for casual leave for my child’s naming ceremony day.

“During that time, I could only help my wife during weekends and nights and sometimes she was too tired to attend to the baby because he wants to play at night.

“I would have to carry him and also attend to his older siblings; it took a toll on my job.

“Getting to the office I feel tired, worn out and mostly feel like sleeping but with paternity leave, fatherhood and bonding with a newborn will come easier.

“So I feel paternity leave is very good; it is key because there is a lot that men can achieve during that time,” Adedeji said.

Mr Mathew Anya, an engineer, said with every of his four children, he had to joggle running the home, hospital and meeting contract deadlines.

“The only thing that keeps me going at this time is the joy of having a baby and that my wife delivered safely.

“But like most men, we become lean, tired, don’t eat properly and are very distracted at work because your time is needed mostly at home.

“Women don’t understand that you need to work, they need you to be a husband and father,” Anya said.

On the medical standpoint, Dr Inyang Asuquo, a gynaecologist, highly recommends paternity leave for the well-being of the man, woman and newborn.

“The philosophy behind paternity leave is to give some ample time, though not enough, to be at home and support your wife or in the hospital if there are complications, and also bond with your child.

“Prior to this period where government did not consider paternity leave it was a real struggle for a lot of men who really understand the concept of marriage.

“As doctors, we hear and know a lot, so for the government to graciously approve this leave, our patients, the women, are happy. Their husbands now do much more for them.

“Paternity leave also goes a long way to help mothers with post-partum depression; with the presence of mind and body of their husbands, it is detected early and they can seek help.

“So we thank the Federal Government for this initiative,” Asuquo said.

Moreso, Neuroscience research shows that when fathers actively bond with their babies, the child’s brain develops more synaptic connections, leading to enhanced learning and emotional regulation later in life.

Successful father-infant bonding during the immediate postpartum period has been shown to have several benefits for the infant: it reduces cognitive delay, promotes weight gain in preterm infants, and improves breastfeeding rates.

Fathers engaging with their infants through skin-to-skin contact, feeding, and playtime contribute significantly to a baby’s neurological development.

By establishing an early connection, fathers help their children develop a sense of security, which translates to reduced stress and anxiety levels in the baby.

According to baby360.com, a platform that caters to parents from prenatal, postpartum to parenting with up-to-date maternity education materials, it also shows an increasing amount of research which suggests a strong correlation between early father-infant bonds and the happiness of the entire family.

Strong father-child bonds can help counter issues such as depression later on in life.

Men who report that they had a good relationship with their fathers during childhood were found to be better equipped to handle stress.

A child’s physical and mental development is significantly boosted when his dad has played with him from the start, compared to children whose fathers took a more hands-off approach.

Children who experienced close interactions with their fathers from an early age tend to be more successful academically, have better relationships with their peers and be less likely to get involved with crime or abuse drugs and alcohol.

For fathers, they experience less stress and increased confidence when they have their own special time with their newborns.

Actively participating in caregiving gives them a deeper sense of fulfilment and purpose. It also boosts their confidence as parents, helping them overcome societal stereotypes that often place fathers in secondary roles.

Besides, bonding helps dads develop empathy, patience, and a keen understanding of their baby’s nonverbal cues, strengthening their ability to nurture effectively.

In spite of the many benefits of paternity leave, the move is not welcome by all men in the federal service.

“I prefer it to be monetised; what some women want is not to see your face; they need money to cater to the bills and for pampers and baby food.

“What good is it hanging around the house for three weeks when you can’t provide for them, that will even cause undue stress for the man,” Mr Ahmed Lawal said.

Mr Adekunle Atolagbe shares Lawal’s views: “Except grandparents and in-laws are not in the picture to help out with the newborn, some men would find it difficult to be at home.

“And if they are around, the husband becomes an easy target for errands because they see you around, so I’d prefer to be at work to hustle for money to support them at home.

“Men are not cut out for care of newborns, many fathers are practically afraid of caring for newborns because they are so delicate,” he said.

Also, some women hope that husbands in the private sector and state government service would be given some relief and time to bond with their newborns.

They, however, are of the opinion that the men utilise it for the purpose.

“Fathers should be given three months’ paternity leave at least.

“But only for those who will truly help out at home because I don’t know what I would have done without my husband’s support,” Mrs Irene-Igho Effanga, a mother of triplets said.

In all, the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation and administrative arms of federal ministries, departments and agencies have the Public Service Rules for checks and balances and to review polices to help civil service officers bond better with their families.

Since government is a continuum, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, the current Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, has also pledged commitment to overhauling Nigeria’s civil service with a significant shift, just like the paternity leave, to ensure professionalism, efficiency and accountability, with commendable focus on the welfare and performance of civil servants. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

By Bushrah Yusuf-Badmus

What began as a heartbreaking loss in Ilorin, Kwara State, has ignited a wave of life-saving interventions across Nigeria, particularly in Gombe State, North-East Nigeria, where thousands of women are now benefiting from free cervical cancer screening.

For Florence Adewale, the pain of losing her mother, Mrs Foluke Adeleke, to late-stage cervical cancer was unbearable. The disease, discovered only when it had reached its third stage, claimed Mrs Adeleke’s life just months after diagnosis.

“She was rejected in three hospitals before one accepted her. By then, she had already fainted due to excessive bleeding and was resuscitated with oxygen.

“It was in the course of treatment that the doctor told us it was cervical cancer, only curable, if detected early enough.

“Had I known this earlier, we would have worked towards the treatment because she was irreplaceable to me,” said Adewale.

However, that painful realisation resonated deeply with Dr Babatunde Adewumi, a young doctor who had seen Mrs Adeleke as a second mother.

Witnessing her excruciating suffering in 2011 while still in medical school, Adewumi was haunted by the thought that her death could have been prevented.

“Her pain, her diminished quality of life, it was all avoidable. I knew then that something had changed,” Dr Adewumi said.

Determined to turn his grief into action, he founded Quinta Health in 2017, a health-focused NGO aimed at bridging the gender health gap and increasing access to cervical cancer prevention and treatment in underserved communities.

Through partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, and health organisations, Quinta Health has established screening centres and conducted health outreaches, providing free screenings and treatment referrals for thousands of women.

Cervical cancer, known as papillomavirus (HPV) is the leading cause of gynaecological cancer death among women in developing countries.

According to the United Nations, in Nigeria cervical cancer is the third most common cancer and the second most frequent cause of cancer deaths among women aged between 15 and 44 years.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), HPV is a sexually transmitted infection, with nearly every sexually active person at risk of exposure.

While many HPV infections clear up naturally, certain strains can lead to cervical, anal, oropharyngeal and other cancers, if left untreated.

This disease is preventable through the HPV vaccine, while regular screening for precancerous conditions can help early detection to reduce cases and deaths by allowing for timely treatment and effective management.

Pap smears are effective tools to detect abnormal cells before they progress to cancer, but access to this service is limited, especially for vulnerable women living in remote rural areas.

In 2020 – the latest year for which data is available for the WHO, the country recorded 12,000 new cases and 8,000 deaths from cervical cancer.

One of the beneficiaries of the Quinta Health’s screenings, Mrs Fatima Ibrahim, a 56-year-old mother of five, recalled how she was unaware of her condition until she attended a free screening in Ogun State.

“I had been bleeding abnormally and had a foul-smelling discharge, but I didn’t think much of it.

“The screening revealed I had Stage One cervical cancer, but because it was caught early, I received treatment and I’m now cancer-free,” she said.

Quinta Health’s remarkable work caught the attention of the founder of AMEN Healthcare and Empowerment, Madam Rita Aizehi-Aimiuwu Oguntoyinbo, who said she sought the NGO’s expertise as a technical partner to establish cervical cancer screening centres in Gombe State.

In collaboration with the Gombe State Government, it set up 13 screening centres across all 11 Local Government Areas, in Akko, Balanga, Billiri, Dukku, Funakaye, Gombe, Kaltungo, Kwami, Nafada, Shongom, and Yamaltu/Deba.

Since 2019, these centres have screened 13,747 women, identifying and treating hundreds of cases early enough to prevent needless deaths.

Trained nurses, equipped with skills to both diagnose and educate, played a critical role in the outreach.

Community mobilisers also helped bridge the gap by encouraging women to step forward for screening, dispelling myths, and fostering trust in the process.

For Madam Oguntoyinbo, the collaboration with Quinta Health was a dream fulfilled.

Having long desired to promote healthcare accessibility in underserved communities, she saw the establishment of the screening centres as a giant leap toward that goal.

She believed that by bringing healthcare services to the doorsteps of rural women, thousands of lives could be saved every year.

Among those whose lives were transformed by early detection was Ruth Jacobs in Gombe State.

She had no symptoms when she decided, on a whim, to attend a screening session after hearing an announcement on the radio.

“I had no symptoms at all. I just wanted to check,” she said. However, the diagnosis shocked her, precancerous cells had been detected.

Because it was caught early, treatment was immediately initiated, and by the end of 2024, she was declared cancer-free.

Unlike Jacobs, Dorcas Mathew had been experiencing symptoms for some time but lacked the financial means to undergo screening.

When she first approached a hospital, she was told that the test would cost ₦30,700, an amount she could not afford.

She began saving gradually, hoping to raise enough money before her condition worsened. Then, fate intervened. A friend informed her of a free screening programme, and without hesitation, she attended.

“I was saving up for the test when I learnt about the free screening. I went for it, and that decision may have saved my life,” she said.

The results confirmed her fears. She had cervical cancer. But this time, there was hope. The cancer had not advanced significantly, and treatment commenced immediately, giving her a strong chance of recovery.

As the screening centres continue to grow and more women become aware of the importance of early detection, the movement started by Dr Adewumi and Florence Adewale’s loss is gaining momentum.

What began as a painful loss has now transformed into a mission that is saving lives, one screening at a time.

However, Dr Adewumi believed more interventions would have been done by the organisation if it got more support through partnerships and funding.

He said the organisation has many ideas like using Artificial Intelligence (AI) for screening, setting up of more screening centres across Nigeria, training of health workers and creating more mobile clinics, all waiting to be implemented, but restricted due to lack of financial support.

He added that the organisation was thriving with support from volunteers willing to work for free, but commitment cannot be forced on them to do more than their ability. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Paving the healing road for child survivors of sexual abuse

By Adebola Adegoke, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Ms Eno (not real name) was devastated when she discovered that her 14-year-old niece, who was under her care was defiled and impregnated by her sister’s brother in-law.

“Before we could know, the pregnancy was already five months and even in the school, they didn’t notice because of the kind of body she has.

“I started questioning her, who is responsible? She said that it’s my sister’s husband’s brother. He had been coming to the house to defile her when I am not around,” she said.

Child sexual abuse is a grave public health crisis in Nigeria, robbing many children of their innocence and safety.

Reports show that 90 per cent of abusers are familiar to the victims, making it even more challenging for the affected children to seek help.

Also, for those children who have reported violence, fewer than five out of a 100 received any form of support, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Many survivors are unaware of how to report abuse or access support services.

However, a child-centred non-profit organisation, Cece Yara Child Advocacy Centre Foundation, is providing comprehensive care, protection, and legal assistance to child survivors of sexual abuse and those at risk.

Eno said she was introduced to Cece Yara Foundation through her friend, after all efforts to hold the perpetrator accountable proved abortive.

“The boy denied the first time but he later said he was responsible. I first got him arrested after he abandoned my niece and refused to take care of her. So his brother came to plead with me and he was bailed.

“After he was bailed, the boy, his brother and my sister started insulting me saying that with all my anger, there was nothing I could do.

“This got me angry and I started looking for ways to ensure he was charged and went to jail. I told people and one of my friends introduced me to Cece Yara Foundation.

“They took up the case free of charge and they have been providing legal services and managing the court case since then.

“When my niece was put to bed, the foundation also helped to take care of medical bills incurred during the process.”

Eno revealed that since the incident, she had also received a lot of backlash from her sister and her husband who were aware of the abuse but kept it hidden.

Experts and advocates say the stigma associated with abuse and the culture of silence by discourage survivors from speaking out and seeking help.

21 year-old Amina (not real name) did not hesitate to report her step father who had serially defiled his 11 years old biological daughter.

Amina narrated: “My half-sister came to me that her father, my step father, had molested and touched her inappropriately. I recorded it immediately she told me because he had tried to rape me in the past but he didn’t succeed.

“I reported to our Sunday school teacher in church who took us to Cece Yara at Gbagada. When we got to the place, my sister was questioned and they took up the case, provided medical and legal support. He was arrested and charged to court.”

This singular brave act that Amina showed had earned her a bad name in the family.

“I was thrown out of the family house for reporting the case. They said that I am the one that broke the family and took their son to jail.

“I have nowhere to go and I am currently staying in church while my half siblings are in a shelter provided by the Lagos State Government while the case is still on-going,” she said.

A Multidisciplinary Approach to Child Protection

According to Mrs Bisi Ajayi-Kayode, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cece Yara, the foundation employs a multidisciplinary team approach to comprehensively address the needs of children affected by sexual abuse.

This approach, she said, recognised that no single agency can provide all the necessary support, from case reporting to psychotherapy, legal information, access to justice, and family reunion.

“Our online reporting system and partnerships with schools, religious bodies, and government agencies ensure that children in need can access support at any time.

“The foundation offers a one-stop response that profiles the necessary interventions for each child, emphasising the importance of interagency collaboration,” she said.

According to her, the foundation is particularly attentive to the peculiarity of each case, understanding that children abused by family members may face additional challenges, such as not being believed or supported.

“We deploy a case management team approach. Upon receiving reports of child abuse through our 24-hour helpline (0800 800 8001), website, mail or social media pages, the foundation’s social workers conduct verification and risk assessments, often in collaboration with the police.

“They assess the child’s living conditions and identify risks for vulnerable groups, including children from broken homes, orphans, children with disabilities, trafficked children, and those from marginalised communities.

“After verification, the foundation reports the case to the police and the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, assisting in the arrest of perpetrators and the relocation of affected children.

“For individuals needing financial assistance to escape abusive situations, we liaise with relevant government authorities,” she said.

She said that the foundation collaborates with the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DVSA), Office of the Public Defender (OPD) and the Ministry of Education.

In cases involving schools, they partner with the Education Quality Assurance Unit of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education in Lagos State.

Ajayi-Kayode says the foundation operates a shelter that can give temporary accommodation to 85 children, offering a safe and regulated environment where survivors can heal and rebuild their lives.

She said that children in the shelter are typically referred by the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, especially cases where the perpetrator is a parent, and the non-offending parent either lacks the capacity to care for the child or is considered an accomplice.

She added that the foundation provides comprehensive psychosocial support, including counselling for the child, non-offending family members, and facilitating access to paediatric psychiatric care when needed.

Gbemisola Ogunrinde, Lead Psychotherapist at Cece Yara Child Advocacy Centre, emphasised the importance of psycho-education in empowering survivors with knowledge about personal safety, boundaries, and age-appropriate sex education and preventing reoccurrence of abuse.

Ogunrinde said that a key aspect of the intervention is moving at the survivor’s pace, especially when dealing with children who may be reluctant to speak.

She explained that this reluctance can stem from the trauma itself or feelings of guilt and discomfort.

“Art is another way they could express whatever hurt that they are experiencing as a result of the trauma providing an alternative outlet for those who may struggle with verbal expression.

“The initial counselling sessions focus on building rapport, with an emphasis on validation, affirmation, and encouragement. The process is gentle, and survivors are not forced to disclose their experiences until they are ready.”

Forensic Interviews

The National Children’s Advocacy Centre defines forensic interview as a single session, recorded interview designed to elicit a child’s unique information when there are concerns of possible abuse or when the child has witnessed violence against another person.

At Cece Yara Foundation, the forensic interview process is a critical component of their multidisciplinary approach to child protection.

Ajayi-Kayode explained that the child forensic interview is a structural process of eliciting information from a child about a crime or an event the child has refused to express in an age-appropriate and developmentally sensitive manner.

The foundation has trained judges, prosecutors, officials of the Lagos State ministry of justice, the police, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and other stakeholders on Child Forensic Interview, aimed at promoting justice and safeguarding the rights of vulnerable children.

“We are advocating for the adoption of a record-setter forensic interview and investigative protocol which will ensure that every survivor of child sexual abuse undergoes a forensic interview process that will facilitate effective investigation and prosecution of the case, thereby establishing a firm child-friendly justice system,” Ajayi-Kayode said.

Addressing Challenges and Advocating for Change

Securing justice and healing for survivors of sexual abuse still poses a great challenge for the foundation.

Ajayi Kayode said that a significant barrier to supporting children and accessing justice is the prevalence of negative socio-cultural complexities associated with case reporting, where some parents pressure their children to stay silent, fearing the consequences for the family, such as a parent or relative going to prison.

This was the case for Eno and Amina whose families had blacklisted them for reporting a family member and taking them to court.

She, however, said that the foundation was addressing this challenge through awareness and prevention campaigns against acts of child sexual abuse.

Ajayi-Kayode said that Cece Yara aims to shift societal attitudes and ensure children receive the support and justice they need.

“Also in the area of poverty, we see a lot of indigent clients that want to access our services and they are not able to do so.

“To support them, we provide logistics assistance, including transportation to the police station, medical unit, and our offices.

“We also address survivors’ fear of going to court, acting as a support system to help navigate the criminal justice system.

“We reassure survivors and their families that we will accompany them to court, as accessing justice is a crucial part of the healing process.

“To date, we have secured eight convictions in court, have filed about 78 cases, and have 57 on-going, ensuring that we keep the wheel of justice rolling.

“Our focus remains on maintaining high standards of support, and we seek additional funding to continue our work,” she said.(NAN)

***This story is with support from the Solutions Journalism Network and the Nigeria Health Watch.