Gender-based violence persists in Nigeria despite govt, stakeholders’ efforts ― WARDC Director

The Executive Director of Women Advocate Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, has lamented the increasing rate of sexual and domestic violence and exploitation of women and girls across the country despite efforts by the government and stakeholders to check the threat.

The Executive Director of WARDC who stated this during a capacity building for female traditional rulers and female market women in Akure, Ondo State capital, said despite the campaigns to end gender-based violence, identified failure to act or take action responsible for the increasing rate of sexual and domestic violence.

She said that the project was targeted at implementing solidarity, accountability and commitments to ending violence against women and girls (SAC-VAWG) in the six South-West states in Nigeria: Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states.

Akiyode-Afolabi said “Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG), a major component of GBV, is a global act that has been on the increase and affects one out of every three females.

“The World Bank reported that 35 per cent of females globally have been sexually or physically abused by their partners and non-partners.

“Also, seven per cent of females have been sexually assaulted by individuals that are not their partners. In general, over 80 million women and girls are victims of gender-based violence.

“The United Nations Population Fund study found out that 28 per cent of Nigerian women aged 25-29 have been victims of physical violence since age 15.”

Akiyode-Afolabi explained that domestic violence was common in all communities in Nigeria, and said the capacity-building programme was put in place for female traditional rulers and female market women to enhance engagement, capacity and accountability of community leaders and gatekeepers, including women’s agency, religious and traditional rulers.

The Executive Director of WARDC, who said that the project was with support from the Ford Foundation, said the participants have influential power to create awareness on laws against violence on women and girls in society.

“Women also often suffer violence due to not meeting up with some socially accepted standard of behaviour.

“For this reason, have we called on you female traditional leaders (Iyalode) and leaders of market women associations (Iyaloja) in Ondo state to discuss the burning issue of sexual and gender-based violence and how the association and the council can address this vice in our communities.

“We are to build new ways and initiatives that deal with and confront cultural patterns of violence, dominance and power, while also empowering women and girls,” she stated.

Akiyode-Afolabi, who disclosed that the project was in collaboration with the State Ministry of Women Affairs and the Restoration of the Dignity of Womanhood (ROTDOW), said that violence against women was a violation of human rights.

She added that violence was a major impediment to achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.

“Such violence harms women, their families and communities socially, politically and economically.

“It is now widely accepted that strategies to end violence against women and girls (VAWG) must include work with men and boys in other to identify promising approaches to ending VAWG as part of the need for a multi-sectoral response to the ending of violence against women and girls,” she said.

The state Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr Adebunmi Osadahun, commended the WARDC’s Executive Director for her initiative and resolve to end violence against women and girls in Nigerian society.

Osadahun urged female folks to have unity of purpose in defeating all forms of violence against women and girls while calling on parents to stop showing preferential treatment for male children over female ones.

The commissioner advised women to learn to be creative and independent and avoid relying on men for their survival, saying they should use their initiatives and knowledge to make headway in life.

Osadahun urged the young girls to avoid places and things that could make them vulnerable to attack, adding that all cases of violence against them should be reported to appropriate authorities and relevant non-governmental organisations.

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Gender-based violence persists…    Gender-based violence persists…  Gender-based violence persists…