UN partners others, promotes women welfare

The twilight of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration marked a new in the struggle for justice for victims of Gender Based Violence (GBV), for on May 25, 2015, the former president signed into the Violence Against Persons’ (VAP) Bill. The bill provides a legislative and legal framework for the prevention of all forms of violence against vulnerable persons, especially women and the girl-child.

That day according to Dr Adepeju Oti, Executive Director of Global Youth Leadership and Girl-Child Foundation (GYLGF) was a ‘landmark’ event. She made this remark at a One day Symposium in Commemoration of 16 Days Activism on Ending Violence Against Women and the Girl-Child held at The International Conference Centre, Lead City University, Ibadan on December 1, 2016. At the occasion which was co-convened by the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), Lagos, and UNWOMEN Abuja, Dr Oti said the signing of the Bill by the former president “put an end to the 14 years of advocacy that passed through three regimes at the National Assembly.”

However, it is not yet uhuru in the fight for justice for GBV victims. “One of the major challenges to efforts to prevent and end violence against women and girls worldwide is the substantial funding deficit. As a result, resources for initiatives to prevent and end violence against women and girls are severely lacking. Frameworks such as Sustainable Development Goals, which includes a specific target on ending violence against women and girls offer promise, but must be adequately funded in order to bring real and significant changes in the lives of women and girls.

“Investing in the lives of women and girls is a wise investment because it has multiplier effects. Educated women would not raise illiterate children.”

Dr Oti, however, pointed out that NGOs involved in fight against GBV would be as helpless as victims of violence “if we as a people do not lay our priority in humanity by giving our time, money and other resources to assist the NGOs.”

Dr Joe Odumakin, President of the rights group, Women Arise for Change Initiative, who was special guest at the event, was ever passionate about the plight of GBV victims. “Gender based violence is on the rise. It is heartbreaking to note that one out of every three women has faced gender based violence. The campaign to end this violence is chronically underfunded. There is the need for government to carry out more enlightenment; to increase its funding of those who are genuinely out in the fight to end gender-based violence.

“I also want to challenge our institutions and religious organisations to keep fluid funds that they can give organisations that have good track record of helping victims of gender based violence.

“Also funds can be channeled to economic empowerment because poverty that is on the rise has held women and girls in bondage. We need to invest in the girl child to stem gender based violence.”

Violence against women is a human rights issue that warrants the involvement of the United Nations, hence the presence of UNIC officials at the symposium. Mr Oluseyi Soremekun, the National Information Officer of UNIC, said “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UN document, talks about violence against women and girls. So violence against women and girls is a human rights issue; it not a family affair. It must never be swept under the carpet because of the people involved. What the UN is doing is to mobilize all stakeholders to put in place interventions to end violence against women and girls.”

Mrs Funmilola Ilori Oladele who represented the Oyo State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Community Development, Social Welfare and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Atinuke Osunkoya at the event said the state was making effort to domesticate the VAP Bill, however, the Child Rights and Violence Against Children Laws already in place in the state, were being publicised and enforced.