Polycarp Sola – Abakaliki
A non-governmental organisation dedicated to enhancing citizens participation and promoting security and good governance in Nigeria and West Africa, the Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative, also known as Partners West Africa Nigeria (PWAN), has partnered with traditional rulers and other stakeholders to eradicate Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Ebonyi South.
According to the organisation’s program manager, Aisha Isa, who said a well-conducted research was carried out in Afikpo and Edda local government area of the state (both in Ebonyi South), determined the extent of the collaboration, which is aimed at eradicating harmful practices leading to sexual and gender-based violence.
“It is a project on strengthening police-community relationships in order to combat gender-based violence in Nigeria. The message is to work together, collaborate with the traditional leaders, religious leaders, the youth and women’s group, ministries, departments, and agencies, and the security and justice actors in order to collectively eradicate or combat this menace in our society,” Aisha said.
She disclosed that the project would be implemented for a period of two years to enable the converners to identify challenges and proffer solutions such as community laws to abolish harmful practices responsible for GBV.
“Sexual and gender based violence are no doubt happening in our society, a lot of them, including rape cases, harmful traditional practices, harmful widowhood practices, female genital mutilation and many others” She added.
One of the facilitators at the capacity building for the traditional rulers and religious leaders, which held in Abakaliki, Mr Ajah Chima Oliver, who is also the Executive Director of DIG in Ebonyi State, observed that laws passed by community leaders are mostly obeyed and advocate for bye laws to curb GBV.
“Laws passed by community leaders are mostly obeyed than every other alien law from either federal, state or even global, so, I’m advocating for communities to pass bye laws that will govern the communities against GBV.” He said
Ajah, who maintained that to curb the menaces of GBV, the community leaders, traditional rulers, and religious leaders must amend certain practices in their domain, also called on the religious leaders to use their pulpits to preach against it and be a role model.
While on interaction with journalists, Reverend David Ogbonnaya, a patron of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Afikpo South and a marriage counselor, called for intensified value system in the community where both men and women are respected and given equal opportunities.
“We need to develop a value system, When we don’t value our female counterparts, we will not treat them with love and respect” He said.
Lending her thoughts on some of the issues raised, such as restriction of movement for women in Afikpo, Mrs. Ngozika Okoro, community women’s leader in Ohaisu, posited that some cultural practices are aimed at protecting the women and not harming them; however, she urged couples to always speak up when their rights are infringed in a relationship.
“When people begin to speak out, gender based violence will be totally eradicated” She added.