Women coalition demands end to gender-based violence, child marriage in Anambra

A coalition of women group in Anambra State under the auspices of Gender and Constitution Reform Network (GECORN), on Monday, advocated for constitutional review to accommodate the rights of women in Nigeria and end gender discrimination.

GECORN, which staged a walk along the Awka portions of Enugu/Onitsha expressway before ending up at Alex Ekwueme square, had its theme tagged  “A thousand women walk to end all forms of violence and discrimination against women and girls” with placards of different inscriptions such as ‘Child abuse is an offence stop all forms of abuse and violence against children, ‘Widows deserve love, compassion and kindness, ‘Stop abusing widows’, ‘Stop violence abuse against women and girls’, etc.

The group also demanded for full implementation of various Acts and laws that ruled out discrimination against women in Anambra state and other parts of the country.

Speaking to journalists, Chairperson FIDA Anambra State, Professor Ogugua Ikpeze, said the advocacy campaign supported by Ford Foundation, was apt given that the language of the 1999 constitution which address “she” as masculine, discriminatory against women as well as disregard existence of women.

Ikpeze, who is a professor of Law, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, stated that sections 22, 42, 146 and others in the constitution should be amended to be gender-balanced, women-friendly and explicitly define the rights of women for easy interpretation and implementation.

“This is a road walk to sensitise the public on the need to be properly accommodated women in the intending amendment of the Nigerian constitution.

“Our culture which is in section 22 of the constitution, bears the people’s culture forgetting some of them as obnoxious, so they should put away any constitution or custom that is inhumane. So the constitution should not be shrewd with ambiguity.”

Also speaking a member of the coalition, Ms Ogechi Ehiahurike, while noting that the 1999 constitution mentioned masculine gender 235 times and females only two times, further identified harmful widowhood practises, child marriage, rape and inheritance problems as among discriminations against women in Anambra state and other South-Eastern states.

Also speaking, the Chairperson of the coalition in Imo State, Dr Rose Adiukwu, identified other programmes they embarked upon to press home their demands to include advocacy visitations to stakeholders, radio programmes, August meetings, amongst others.

Others, Mrs Amala Mojeke and Mrs Eucharia Anaekwu called on Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State and his counterparts to expedite actions towards full implementations of VAPP laws and others so as to prevent all forms of discrimination against women.

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Women coalition demands end to gender-based violence, child marriage in Anambra