Reps, CSOs, Others Call For Action Against Gender-Based Violence, Submit Petition to IGP
By Juliet Vincent
The House of Representatives, Civil Society Organisations and other stakeholders have called for strong action against Gender-Based Violence in the country.
They made the call when the Speaker, Abbas Tajuddeen led the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, House Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvere, the Chairman House Committee on Women Affairs, Hon. Kafilat Ogbara and others on a march to the Police headquarters, Abuja on Monday.
The Speaker while addressing the gathering noted that, the House has planned series of activities that would be run for 16 days to mark this years celebration of action against Gender-Based Violence across the world.
He said, “We declare the 16 days of Activism to mark the elimination of violence against women in Nigeria. We will participate actively in the 16 days to show our own case, to make our own point.
“We in the parliament must have to unite more than ever before with relevant authorities, particularly the law enforcement agencies to ensure that we curb this dangerous trend to the barest minimum.
“I want to say it categorically clear here that the National Assembly will do everything humanly possible to ensure that all forms of violence against women and girls are drastically reduced, if not completely eliminated in the nearest future.
“I want to also announce that the National Assembly, particularly the House of Representatives will play an active role in the next national action plan against violence against women that will be coming up very soon.
“The House of Representatives will also participate actively in ensuring that policies are enacted that will significantly reduce the incidents of violence of all kinds against women, against children, against girls.
“This year’s programme came at a time when all over the world, women are crying, women are in anger, women are in frustration. This is the year the United Nations issued a damning report that for every 10 minutes, a woman is being killed across the world. This is an unacceptable trend. This is an unforgivable trend”.
Speaking while presenting the petition to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, the Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs, Hon. Kafilat Ogbara lamented the disturbing reports of abuse of women and girls in the country with most of the culprits being set free or given a lighter punishment which she said encouraged their impunity.
She said, “We call to action, urgent action, to combat gender-based violence during the 16 days of activism and beyond. We rise to bring to your esteemed attention the harrowing plight of Nigerian women. Our studies indicate that one in three women globally are victims of gender-based violence in Nigeria.
“Reports at the National Demographic and Health Survey reveal that 30% of women aged 15 to 49 have experienced physical violence with many suffering abuse at the hands of intimate partners. I’m going to be summarizing this like this. We are only here to speak to the IGP.
“But you should please help us to tell all our policemen and women across the nation that when we have issues of gender-based violence at the police stations, we want to get justice. We want to get justice. We want to get justice.
“The House of Representatives under the leadership of Right Honorable Tajudeen Abas and Right Honorable Benjamin Kalu have united in one voice to say that there is no excuse for violence against our women and our girls. They are our mothers. They are our daughters. They are our family. They care for us. They nurture us.
“Why should we violate them? We are saying no to lecturers violating students that they will fail them if they do not yielding. We are saying no to bosses at work for violating their secretaries, their staff, that if they do not yielding, they will sack them. We are saying no to all forms of violence against our children and our girls”.
Receiving the petition, IGP Egbetokun assured that, police will continue to apply all lawful means to address the menace of violence against women in all its forms.
He said, “Gender-based violence has continued to devastate lives across the globe and in the continent of Africa, thousands of girls and women have continued to suffer domestic violence, sexual assaults, there are some areas where the tradition abuses the rights of women. We’ve cases of genital mutilation and others like that, so it’s a collective effort that we must all fight, we must come together to eradicate this unacceptable reality
“Since 2006, the Nigerian Police Force has developed what we call gender policy which is implementing global framework and we are committed to implementing that policy until today. We will treat this petition as expected.
“This occasion serve as a reminder that eradicating gender-based violence across the country is a collective effort. It is not only the law enforcement actions alone, it is not only by law enforcement actions that we can eliminate gender-based violence but it is a collective obligation on everyone of us”.
Speaking to journalists during the march at the Police headquarters, the Director of Development, African Centre for Leadership Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), Dr Margaret Fagboyo said, the centre is that, creating awareness and advocacy about the need to address violence against women in the country.
She informed that, the Centre is carrying out various programmes across states to sensitise women as well as all stakeholders including community and religious leaders to ensure the protection of women and girls against abuse and other harmful practices that discriminate against them.
Dr Fagboyo said, “Individuals have a role to play, community has a role to play, traditional rulers have a role to.play ,religious leaders have a role to play. Institutions, development partners,Civil Society Organisations have a role to play. So, it is a multi sectoral approach, and that’s why we are walking out to say , let’s be united to end Gender Based Violence”.
She noted that, they partnering with various stakeholders and partners to provide alternative for women through various support to improve their economic well-being.
