16 Days of gender activism: Gender based violence against women and girls is a crime – Solomon

EMMANUEL AWARI, Jalingo

 

A Non- Governmental Organization, Great Gender Grassroots Foundation in collaboration with Side by Side Gender Justice Movement, has carried out Sensitization on Gender based Violence against Women and Girls in Jalingo, Taraba  state capital.

 

In her remarks,  the Deputy National Chairman, Side by Side Movement for Gender Justice, Hon. Leah Olusiyi  Solomon, said that most of the gender based violence victims are Women and Girls.

 

“Gender based violence against women and Girls is a crime. It is a human right violation. It is a perpetual assault on human dignity, depriving people of their rights.

 

“Gender based violence can include issue faced and perpetrated by both male and female. This focuses on both Women and Girls because they are the majority of the victims and survivors.

 

She pointed out that Global based violence knows no boundaries, as it affects all categories of Women, Young Girls, rich, poor, old, young, illiterate, educated, Christian or Muslim and from various ethnic bagrounds.

 

“Most of the violence committed against Women and Young Girls are by people they know, love and trust whom includes, Husbands,Boy friends, Friends, neighbors, school mates, colloquies amongst others.

 

“Domestic and sexual  violence are both grossly under reported as domestic violence especially is socially accepted and there even exist laws that permit a man to reasonably discipline his wife.

 

According to her, Domestic violence is often considered a private matter which also suggest that it is a normal thing for a man to commit violence against a Woman and she simply employ the culture of silence.

 

She highlighted types of violence to includes, physical international act of causing injury to someone, Verbal which consist of hate speech, dirty or provocative comments and sexual violence any sexual attempt or act committed against the will of another person. Others are denial of female and widow inheritance, female genital mutilation and early or forceful marriage.

 

“Gender based violence is a form of gender discrimination that emanated from unequal power relations between Men and Women which prevent Women from enjoying rights and freedom on an equal footing with Men.

 

“Gender based violence can be also be describe as a violence committed against a person because of his or her sex or gender. It means forcing a person to do something against his or her will through violence compulsion threats, dishonesty, cultural believes or economic means based on his or her gender.

 

Princess Leah mentioned causes of gender based violence to include, inequality, Poverty, Substantive drug abuse, Stress in the home and Religious practices. Others are, Cultural practices, norms and beliefs, Hunger, Personality or mentality disorder, conflicts,  wars and alcoholism.

 

“Some preventive measures for Gender based violence are, Conduct training programme for professionals, Conduct campaigns to raise awareness and sensitization, Promote Women empowerment and involving men and boys.  Others are, Education on None violence and equality between Women and Men, involving Religious and Traditional leaders in addressing matters on Global based violence and challenging gender stereotypes.

 

“The various types of GBV enumerated above represent examples of human rights violations with serious physical, rights emotional and psychological implication on victims, survivors and their families.

 

“To reduce the prevalence of GBV therefore in Nigeria, there is a need to strengthen access to information and justice for victims of GBV- She said.

 

Speaking, the Executive Secretary , Post Primary Schools Management Board, Hon. Elsie Obadiah Yaruta, appreciated the initiators of the programmer. She said;

 

“Gender based violence as we have already know is a violence putted upon a woman or young adult ladies.

 

“This are issues that have been bordering us for quite a long time in our community, society, honors and families.

 

“Most of the girls are been denied of their rights in one way or the other, Educational wise, most of the girl child have been denied of going to school and have been forced to early marriage before their time, those are some violence that have been disturbing us in our society.

 

“As an educationist, this is one of the paramount issue we should allow the girl child to be educated because we work Side by Side with Men and Boys in our society, Markets, Churches and Mosques, so we should be giving equal oppourtunity to education, Life and leadership in communities as a girl child and as a woman in the society.

 

“They should be allowed to benefit from all opportunities and parents should allow girls to go to school and have access to education. Women can do a job that men can do. Gender Based Violence against Women and Girls is not allowed in our society.

 

“If you abuse a woman, her feature have been distorted, let us support women Side by Side.

 

On his part, the Village head of Kachalla Sembe, describe Women as Mothers.

 

“We should respect Women, for they gave birth to use and took us for nine months – he said.

 

Partispants on their parts, express their minds.

 

“Gender Based Violence is affecting each and every home. It is expected that you take care of your children equally even though they are not your biological children. We should take care of God’s image, for he created us in his image. We pray that GBV will be eradicated all over the world, even Religions doesn’t accommodate GBV.

(Eglah Ibrahim).

 

“Women have come out to answer the call, Men should also be out to answer the call because a woman cannot do anything without the agreement of the Husband. They should all understand themselves. The Men should be loving, while the Women should be submissive.

(Mrs. Elizabeth Joshua).

 

“The issue of GBV is not a new thing, it is a global thing.

 

“About 200 million rights are violeted according to the UN statistics every year especially in Nigeria.

 

“Our people have a notion that, ”I am the person that marry you, so I can do anything on you.

 

The program  started with a Road work from the Ministry of Environment, terminated at the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Donga Road, Jalingo venue of the sensitization, educating and enlightening the public on Gender Based Violence against Women and Girls.