Ebonyi: WACOL trains 20 rights defenders to help curb violence against women
Twenty women and girls rights defenders in Abakaliki, were on Friday trained on ho to better engage religious leaders to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in the state.
The one-day capacity building training was organised by the Women Aid Collective (WACOL), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), as a spotlight Initiative Project of the European Union and the Unit6ed Nations (EU/UN).
According to Prof. Joy Ezeilo, Founder of WACOL, the training was aimed at strengthening civil society organisations who would in turn, help prepare and develop capacity of religious leaders to assist in the fight against VAWG.
Ezeilo, also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, represented by Mrs Anulika Ezennia, Programme Manager of the Organisation, said the exercise would effectively engage religious leaders.
The founder stated that harmful practices such as emotional, economic, psychological and other trauma against women and girls were impacting negatively on the society.
She solicited support from the Christian Association of Nigeria, and Muslim Associations, among other religious groups and leaders, for urgent actions to end the trend.
She encouraged religious leaders to always preach against violent acts during religious activities.
She said, “The action also can be done during marriage courses, advising and preaching to their congregation at the pulpit to shun violence.
The Facilitator, Mrs Helen Kalu, stated the need for religious leaders to pay urgent attention to the call, as perpetrators of such crimes were among religious faithfuls and others.
She added that the subject was also affecting human life and development, which should not be allowed to exist in the society.
Kalu, in her lecture, described violence as an impediment for women’s development as well as physical, verbal abuse, structural and talking down on people.
She alleged that few religious leaders were violating their members and the victims suffer in silence.
“We need to talk about this, and the leaders should understand that we seek for an end to it.
“As governments are making efforts to eschew the trend, religious leaders should follow up to end VAWG and other harmful practices against them.
“As the CSOs step down the subject at the grassroots, we will follow up to train the leaders to understand and step down to local branches,” Kalu said.
She called on the leaders to be open minded to understand the development to enable them identify members who would be found in a toxic relationship and crying for help.
Mrs Flora Egwu, a participant and Assistant Pastor, called for massive sensitisation to deepen the action needed.
Mr Ohakah Adimoha, another participant and Priest, Methodist Diocese of Abakaliki, said that the subject would be discussed and stepped down to shun violence against women and girls.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training featured lectures on the appreciation of gender issues in religion and beyond by Mrs Nancy Oko-onya, a facilitator. (NAN)
