End To Violence Against Women, Girl Child: Hope Givers Initiative, others Kick-start Campaign

Cynthia Igbokwe

Violence Against Women, Girl Child undermines the health, dignity, security and autonomy of it’s victim, yet it remains shrouded in a culture of silence in Nigeria.

It is on this note that stakeholders were urged on the need to unite in order to end violence against women, girl Child.

Hundreds of men and women marched on streets of Awka , Onitsha and Nnewi representing the three senatorial zones of the state seeking zero tolerance against violence against women, and girl child.

The state wide campaign under the 2020 Unite Campaign on I6 days activism against gender based violence was carried out by Anambra State Ministry of Social Welfare, Children and Women Affairs in collaboration with Hope Givers Initiative, (HOG-I ) with support from Christian Aid under the ECID project.

The campaign drew men and women from almost all the rural communities in Anambra State speaking in one voice against gender based violence, canvassing that their voice should be heard.

The theme of the Unite campaign “Orange The world” aimed at painting the world orange because of its sweetness, Zero tolerance to wife battering,rape, defilement widowhood practices, and every other gender based violence.

Other organizarions involved include the Anambra State Child Protection Network, Violence against Persons Prohibition Law Implementation Committee, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption.

The participants marched round the three Senatorial zones of the state to raise awareness on the negative effects of wife battering, child abuse, rape and other abuse of fundamental human rights of the female child.

According to the groups, the walk, globally observed has its theme as “Orange the World: Fund: Prevent and Collect”. They said it was to point to the urgent need to end rape, and other forms of domestic violence meted out to women in the state.

Mrs. Onyeka Okey-Udegbunam, who is also the Executive Director, Hope Givers Initiative, (HOG-I)said that the group decided to embark on the campaign as a way of saying no to the increasing rate of abuses on children, girl child and women and appealed to everyone to report any related cases to the Ministry of Social welfare, Women and Children Affairs or call 080-33-73-65-85 Or 080-36-66-13-25 for prompt action.

Mrs Okey-Udegbunam, whose HOG-I is a non- profit organization for orphans and vulnerable children, women and Youths noted further that the aim of the campaign, was to sensitize the people on need to end violence against women and girl child.

She said: “Gender based violence takes place all over the world and therefore requires a drastic measure and sustained engagement and diversified stakeholders in order to eradicate it or at least bring it to barest minimum”

“That was the need for this 16 days activism, with unity from all the organizations in the state championing the welfare of women, children and Youths, So that we can speak with one voice”. She noted

The Director also appealed to the Judiciary to always implement the laws when the need arises.

Also speaking, Chairperson of Child Protection Network (CPN) ,Mrs Uju Onyediliefu, stated that the campaign was targeted to both young and old, bringing to their knowledge the commitments they can make to end gender based violence, and it reads: report rape to community chief, leader designated authority or law enforcement agency, speak against female Genital mutilation,Treating everyone in a family with equal respect,no matter their gender, speak about the importance of education for boys and girls in community among others.

Mrs Eucharia Anekwe, Member CPN, having said that the campaign was to eliminate all forms of gender violence against women and girls, urged everybody with cases of gender violence to report, Child Protection Network Unit in women affairs, Social Protection Officer in all the 21 local Government areas ,Gender based violent officer in Police stations or even the Social Media.

She assured that once the case is reported, the organisation will take it up.

In her contribution, Barr Nkolika Ebede, a Human Right Activist and also, the coordinator Rule of law and Anti-Corruption legal committee of Anambra State, charged women to speak out when facing any form of violence, regretting that some Women may decide to keep silent due to stigmatization, which she emphatically said was not an ideal thing to do. She urged them speak out to enable the NGO’s to take it up after reporting cases.

Barr Ebede reminded that laws have been enacted to over see gender based violence including, Child’s Right law, widowhood law of Anambra State and others

In Confirmation , a Banana Hawker, who gave her as Njideka Okoye, during the campaign disclosed to the media how women play the role of men, at the end point, still get battered instead of praises. She said that women are scared of reporting because they don’t want to lose their marriage .

Responding, a food vendor, Mrs. Ngozika Nwaoma and a trader, Mrs. Antonia Chukwuanu applauded the group for the awareness program and suggested stiffer penalties to offenders.