NAWOJ Leads Multi-Stakeholder Charge Against GBV, SGBV in Anambra
…the Anambra State Police Command challenged families and caregivers to return to their foundational roles in shaping values and identifying early warning signs of deviant behaviour among children and wards.
By Chidimma Okoye
Stakehsholders across security agencies, government ministries, academia, civil society organisations and the media have converged in Awka, Anambra State, to confront the growing menace of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), calling for collective, sustained and grassroots-driven action to stem the tide.
The convergence marked the commencement of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Anambra State Chapter’s 16 Days of Activism Against GBV and SGBV, themed “UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls.” The initiative underscored the urgent need to tackle emerging and traditional forms of violence, particularly in the digital space, while strengthening preventive structures at the family and community levels.
Opening the dialogue, the Anambra State Police Command challenged families and caregivers to return to their foundational roles in shaping values and identifying early warning signs of deviant behaviour among children and wards. The Officer-in-Charge of Gender, Anambra State Police Command, CSP Adaobi Elozia, lamented what she described as widespread parental failure driven by the pursuit of economic survival at the expense of child upbringing.
According to her, the absence of parental supervision has exposed children to negative influences, leading to criminal tendencies, including sexual violence. She revealed that most sexual abuse cases involve minors between the ages of 10 and 17, noting that some engage in gang rape and other violent crimes. CSP Elozia urged parents to counsel their children against crime, stressing that the law would always take its course once offenders are apprehended and found guilty.
She disclosed that Anambra State operates a specialised gender court that sits every Wednesday to fast-track SGBV cases and ensure justice for victims. However, she decried systemic gaps, particularly the refusal of the Nigerian Correctional Service to admit remanded minors due to lack of facilities, forcing the police to keep them in stations contrary to standard provisions.
Commending the synergy among the Police, NAWOJ, the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, NGOs and other partners, CSP Elozia called on the public to utilise existing reporting pipelines in all communities to promptly report GBV and SGBV cases for immediate police response.
Adding an academic perspective, Professor Stella Okunna emphasised the long-term damage of gender-insensitive upbringing, linking it to psychological, social and economic distortions observed among young people. Drawing from her experience as a university lecturer, she highlighted how rigid gender roles have left many male students dependent and vulnerable, sometimes pushing them into exploitative relationships and unethical behaviour to sustain such arrangements.
The Head of Service of Anambra State, Barr. Theodore Igwegbe, represented by the Chairperson of FIDA, Anambra State Chapter, Barr. Amara Muojeke, warned that GBV now occurs with alarming speed in modern society. She charged the media to intensify public education, particularly empowering women with knowledge of their rights.
Barr. Muojeke outlined various forms of violence, including sexual, economic, psychological and emotional abuse, noting that economic violence often traps women in abusive homes due to lack of financial independence. She also drew attention to digital violence—such as cyberstalking, online threats and impersonation—stating that offenders face up to two years’ imprisonment under the Cybercrime Act 2025.
A retired Deputy Director of the National Orientation Agency, Mr. Chinedu Okwelogu, advocated proactive gender equality from birth, urging parents to treat male and female children equally in gifts, privileges and expectations to reshape societal mindsets.
From the education sector, the Chairman of the Post Primary School Service Commission, Professor Nkechi Ikediugwu, represented by Ambassador Anulika Adibe, a GBV survivor, stressed the importance of educating women before marriage to equip them with knowledge of their rights. She encouraged NAWOJ to extend sensitisation to schools and reminded parents that sexual abuse affects both genders.
Commissioner for Education, Professor Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, reinforced the media’s role as the voice of the voiceless, cautioning journalists to uphold their societal responsibility, as information disseminated by the media can either inflame tensions or restore calm.
Other contributors, including the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ministry of Health and allied agencies, traced the roots of GBV to family dysfunction and urged citizens to speak up and report abuse whenever it occurs.
Earlier in her address, the Chairperson of NAWOJ Anambra State Chapter, Comrade Tochukwu Ifejika said that 16 days Activism against GBV has been an annual exercise yet the menace keep increasing.
According to her, “we are sensitizing not just the women but also the men because ignorance of the law excuses no one.
The event featured a solidarity walk and street sensitisation from the State Police Command Headquarters, Amawbia, through Aroma Junction, culminating at the Godwin Ezemo International Press Centre, Awka, where in-depth discussions on GBV and SGBV were held.
