Violence Against Women: WACOL Inaugurates Women Advocacy Group To Tackle Obnoxious Customs In Anambra

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Saturday, April 9th, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – As part of its swift intervention in the spike in cases of Violence Against Women And Girls (VAWG) in Anambra State, South East Nigeria, and to properly position female advocates to respond effectively to the menace particularly, harmful cultural practices, the WomenAid Collective (WACOL), has organized a two-day ‘Women’s Rights Advocacy and Leadership, Training of 50/50 Action Women for the Elimination of VAWG in the State.

The group was carefully selected, and trained by the non- governmental organization NGO, in areas of Women’s Rights Issues, VAWG in Nigeria, Women’s Transformational Leadership for the realization of women’s rights, Human Rights of Women in International, Regional, and National Instruments and relevant SDGs, Advocacy and Lobbying, Networking and Collaborating for Change, as well as the Role/Mandate of Women Fifty- Fifty Advocacy Group.

The organization also revealed that it plans to train a total of 350 women across seven (7) states of the Igbo land and Niger Delta including; Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo, Delta, Ebonyi, and the Edo States.

Speaking yesterday on behalf of the Founding Director of WACOL Prof. Joy Ezeilo (OON), Mrs. Egodi Igwe the Program Officer, and Head of Communications of the NGO, welcomed the trainees and encouraged them to participate actively in the training by paying attention as well as making valid contributions.
She also explained the aim, and objectives of the project as well as the importance of the training the activists.

According to Igwe, under the project, WACOL is engaging with relevant stakeholders in seven (7) different states; five (5) South East (SE) states, and two (2) South-south (SS) to review cultural norms and practices that promote violence against women, with aim of changing the narratives.

”We are presently partnering with the Ford Foundation on a project to translate and transform the social norms in the South-East and South-South of Nigeria through engagement with women’s Rights Advocates, and traditional and judicial institutions.

” The objective of this project is to engage with relevant stakeholders in different states to understand and document norms and practices that positively or adversely affect women and girls’ rights and general equality in rural communities.

” We are also working on ensuring the elimination of Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) and the operationalization of the state of emergency on SGBV declared by the Governor’s forum in 2020” Egodi noted.

In their separate goodwill messages, representatives of relevant ministries including; ministries of Women Affairs, Justice, and Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs unanimously agreed that there is an urgent need to intensify action on ending VAWG in the state, and made commitments towards eradicating the scourge, and to sustain the mutual partnership with WACOL in the fight.

In her speech, Ms. Chinelo from the office of local government (LG), chieftaincy, and traditional rulers, in particular, assured that her ministry is working tirelessly in curbing VAWG in the communities, sighting an example of the latest violence meted out against a woman in Aguleri who was accused of killing her husband, and how the traditional ruler intervened in collaboration with other stakeholders to save the woman from further dehumanization.

Also speaking at the event, a one-time Commissioner for Women Affairs Anambra State, Dean Emeritus, Faculty of Mass Communication Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka (UNIZIK), Professir Mrs. Stella Okunna, had expressed concern and dismay over the increased rate of VAWG in the Anambra communities and encouraged the participants in the training to leverage on the opportunity provided by the capacity to gain skills in preventing any form of VAWG to be able to fight the scourge.

Okunna, who is also the first female professor of Mass communication in Nigeria, however, extolled the sterling efforts of WACOL in promoting and protecting the interest of women, girls, and children. She further, commended the organisation for the current initiative of empowering women, and girls in society, and pledged her total commitment to the course.

The WACOL 50/50 Action was drawn from community women leaders, female lawyers, market leaders, media leaders, female students leaders, politicians, and women traditional title holders.