The Christian Aid UK Nigeria has raised the alarm that some communities in Nigeria have been normalizing women and girls abuse and other forms of gender-based injustices.
The Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Officer, Mrs. Mercy Onyema, said this on Friday in Abuja while speaking on activities marking the 16 Days activism against Gender-Base Violence (GBV).
- 500 students trained on Gender Based Violence in Kebbi
- 250 Benue villagers benefit from Christian Aid’s health intervention
She said that instead of taking punitive actions against perpetrators of the crime, the affected communities prefer to ‘forgive’ offenders in the name of communal unity, hence the need for everybody to speak up to curb the menace.
She said that in the aim to curb the menace in some communities across the country, the Christian Aid created Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Champions (GESIC) in Makarfi and Kubon local government in Kaduna State who are mostly community base.
She said that these champions were given the right capacities to understand the issues of gender injustices adding that a lot of people have started speaking up against it and are also taking actions to address these issues.
She also said that over 30 men and women inclusive play their roles to co-opt these champions.
“Other projects by Christian Aid in curbing GBV is the side-by-side network of traditional rulers in the North East, North West, South West, South East and also at the National level to tackle gender injustices,” Onyema said.
She said they come together and identify issues that are gender injustices ranging from Female Genital Mutilation, Child marriages, Inheritance of Widowhood practices amongst others.
On his part, the Country Director, Christian Aid UK Nigeria, Mr. Temitope Fashola, urged on the need for the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act to be enacted into law in all the states and that all Nigerians also need to know that the VAPP Act can protect their interest.
He said that the organization has simplified the Act to make it meaningful for the common man and woman to know their rights.
“Passing the Act is the first step, there is the need to operationalize and raising awareness for people to know and understand what it helps them to achieve when they face such discrimination is also very important,” Fashola said.
On his part, the Acting Head of Programs, Mr. Victor Arokoyo, said that women suffer more on issues of gender injustice and called for collective actions and responsibilities of everyone to curb GBV.
“It is in the interest of everyone that the gender-based violence is brought to an end,” he said.
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