NGO, Charge Women, Young Girls To Speak Out Against Gender Based Violence

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Friday, June 24th, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – An Enugu based Non- governmental organization, operating under the platform of Health Care Support Services, (HCSS) has, urged Women and young girls to always speak out whenever they suffer any form of gender based Violence in their environment. The organization, which expressed concern over the increasing spate of gender based related violence’s (GBV) in the society, including Enugu State, South East Nigeria, stated this yesterday when they put together a seminar for local Women at Ebia Village in Ikem Etiti, Isi – local government Area of Enugu State.

African Examiner reports that, the Seminar which was organized by (HCSS in partnership with another NGO, Women Aid Collective WACOL, and Action Aid Nigeria, attracted a huge number of Women, and has as its Theme: ‘What Will It Take to Unlock Women And Girls Potentials to Speak out On Gender Based Violence’

In her remark at the event, HCSS Project Director, Mrs. Njide Agbasiere, said the programme, is held under the initiative of women voice and leaderships initiative (WVL) Nigeria which is fully funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC).

She explained that the objective of the seminar was to improve their knowledge of Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) through information of Gender Equality and knowing their rights through existing Nigeria and Enugu Sate domesticated laws which protect women/girls from Gender Based Violence.

According to her, “when you know your rights girls/women can speak out and mobilize others to demand for their rights.

“Women/girls need education which apart from being a fundamental human right is most necessary to be informed about the right ways of doing things: empower women by providing them equal opportunities, equal status, freedom of development etc.

“Educational empowerment means that they should educate the girl child who grows to be the family benefit through self -confidence, self- esteem, politically conscious.

“Women should strive for economic sufficiency, to have freedom from poverty have, security of work, own assets in their names, deprivation and landlessness, Psychological empowerment through education; political party, positions; create wealth; control income.

“The issues of Justice for women was elaborated on – They should always demand for justice, know the available legislative rights and how to access justice when violated through sexual gender abuse or through domestic violence.

“Do women know that equity grants them rights to own landed property and to inherit in the family as well as in their spouses home.
The project Director, added that “the interaction produced a lot of vocalized information in the community of who are abused through spousal rape and domestic violence that usually erupts.

“Their avenues for redress are usually through women groups who mediate for them, it is usually referred to family meetings and community groups, but usually they do not get too far because a lot of the men in the community believe that women are tamed or subdued by beating them.

“They also seek the intervention of the girls/women family to help intercede so that their families are not divided due to taking away of the woman leaving her children with the men who will equally abuse them.

“From the discussion it is obvious that cases of domestic violence stem from when women knows that their husbands are cheating and demand for a stop or starts denying him sex until he ceases from the relationship.

“The domestic violence is often intensified when the man is not earning any income and depends on the women to provide for the family. The village sometimes discipline erring husband, could be by the male kindred men physically beating a man who beats up the wife and has been warned before.

“A lot of women keep quiet in the face of abuses even when people get to know, they may deny. Women are thus asked not to keep quiet in the cases of abuse.

“It is their right to get redress and restraining order from such abusive situation. Women need education to know their right and know the enabling national and state laws that will address their issues.

“WACOL and HCSS ED helpline phone numbers were shared so that they could be helped to get some proper advises or seek restrain order to custody, settlement for their children.

She stressed that Women need to be empowered to gain self -confidence and control over their life. “The posters produced by HCSS on ways to encourage, empower women was used to give them information on right ways.

During the Seminar, the Women were educated on “Right issues and demanding justice, economy and political rights when needed. They learnt about the types of abuses and prevention including right to access justice when violence is involved.