16 Days of Activism: APC professional women council advocates strong policies to protect all genders against violence »

…as stakeholders suggests legitimisation, institutionalisation of strong policies

Stakeholders across Kogi state on Saturday gathered under umbrella of the APC professional women council to advocate strongly for policies that will protect all genders, particularly women and children against all forms of violence as they all concluded that the height of gender based violence in recent times, post COVID-19 era is very alarming and requires a comprehensive multi sectorial approach to resolve.

Speaking at a media parley event, the State Coordinator, APC Professional Women Council, Hajia Rekiya Onaivo Sanni said that beyond politics the council have decided to make in roads into deliberating on issues that concerns advocacy against violence against women and girl child in the society.

She hinted that records from the World Health Organization indicates that 35% of people mostly affected by GBV are women, while emerging records show that men are also victims.

The coordinator said that violence issues are prevalent everywhere including workplaces, churches, market, homes and it goes beyond physical assault as Gender Based Violence as other forms of violence comes in other formats adding that finding lasting solutions to the surging issues has become a most.

She noted that the event was tailored towards ensuring that stakeholders can collectively formulate policies that would serve as action plans that can help ensure the elimination of the menace of gender based violence noting that key stakeholder have noticed gaps as causes for GBV in the State and solutions would be discussed.

Mrs. Onaivo said that since the year’s theme for the global 16 days of activism ‘’Policy Advocacy a panacea for the elimination of gender based violence’’ specifically aligns with areas of investments in curbing issues of GBV to end gender based violence , mitigating the impact and addressing impact of gender violence has since become a key issue.

The Kogi State Commissioner For Women Affairs, Hajia Fatima Buba, represented by Director Women Affairs in her remarks said that gender-based violence has since become a global pandemic and the occurrence has become more worrisome after covid-19 adding that policy advocacy is truly a panacea for eliminating gender based violence in Kogi and even Nigeria.

She said the ministry has a mandate to coordinate and take certain steps against GBV in the state in collaboration with other stakeholder and agencies . She said that efforts are made by the ministry towards enhancing gender responsive budgeting.

The Commissioner said that the Ministry was also making efforts to domesticate the national gender policy into a workable template in the state and has commenced distribution of this policy statement

She said the full implementation of the VAP law will totally help eradicate issues of Gender based violence while thanking the government for playing active roles in mitigating violence against women and children.

In a presentation on the Overview of Gender Based Violence GBV in Nigeria by Barr. Ajums Lilian Okolo, Chairperson of FIDA, says the fight against GBV requires all hands to be on deck, says Gender refers to the male and female.

She described perpetrators to GBV as people who wield power, described the fight against GBV as a fight for all said the need to strengthen policies as a panacea remains sacrosanct in the fight against GBV.

Barr. Lilian lamented that one in every three women experience GBV, ascribed it to societal factors, pointing out that it cuts across all strata of the society.

She listed power imbalance as causes of GBV, said it could be emotional, economic, psychological, Sexual, physical, said it can also come in subtle forms, said efforts at reforms has become expedient.
She Advocated a multi sectoral approach to curbing GBV, described sexual offences as GBV as one that is on the rise, Advocated legal reforms, community engagement.

Other aspects of GBV she added is early marriages, female genital mutilation, said government, CSOs, implementing multi sectoral approaches and strategies to stem the tide of GBV using the VAPP Law.