The All Progressives Congress (APC) Professional Women Council has called for more stringent measures in stemming the menace of Gender Based Violence (GBV) against women and girls in Kogi
Hajiya Rekiya Onaivo-Sanni, Kogi Co-ordinator of the Council, made the call during a media parley on Saturday, in Lokoja.
The parley was part of activities to mark the Orange World 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence (GBV) against women and girls in Lokoja.
Onaivo-Sanni said: “A situation where a total of 2,203 GBV cases have been reported in Kogi in 2023, based on the NGBV Data Situation Room and Dashboard for Prevention and Response to GBV in Nigeria, is unacceptable.”
“This alarming figure is enough for both federal and state governments as well as spirited organisations to take more actions against perpetrators to serve as a deterrent.
“As a concerned Council, we expect the government to vigorously invest in the eradication of Gender Based Violence in the Nigerian society for the good of women”.
The State Coordinator, who spoke on the theme: “Policy advocacy, a panacea for the elimination of Gender Based Violence in Kogi,” described the focus as apt and timely.
She assured that the Council would work tirelessly towards initiating right policies that would mitigate the noticeable gaps causing GBV in Kogi.
Onaivo-Sanni who is also the Managing Director (MD) of Kogi Enterprise Development Agency (KEDA), expressed worry that 35 percent of GBV victims were women.
“It’s unfortunate that the menace occurred everywhere, in workplaces, churches, markets and at homes, which demands all hands to be on deck to stamp out the GBV from the society, ” she said.
Onaivo-Sanni however, commended Kogi Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, for his contribution to the fight against the pandemic in the state through the signing of Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law (VAPP) which she said would soon be domesticated.
Also, the state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Fatima Buba, described GBV as a pandemic that deserved stringent measures to stem.
Buba, who was represented by a Director in the Ministry, Josephine Motulayo-Babajide, expressed optimism that the implementation of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law would help to eradicate gender violence in the state.
“A lot needed to be done to stem the tide through Gender Responsive Budgeting, advocacy, funding and unity amongst the stakeholders towards multi sectoral approaches, to influence activities that would address GBV” she said.
Lilian Okolo, Kogi Chairperson, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), in her presentation, said the fight against GBV required all hands to be on deck, irrespective of class, religion and ethnicity.
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Okolo noted that perpetrators of GBV were people wielding power, hence, the need for stringent laws and policies as panacea in the fight against the menace.
While noting power imbalance as one of the causes of GBV, Okolo said it could be emotional, economic, psychological, sexual and physical, which could come in subtle forms.
