As the world marks Human Rights Day, ImpactHouse Centre for Development Communication is calling for immediate action to tackle Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Nigeria.
According to a press release issued by its outreach and communications specialist, Chinomso Momoh, gender based violence remains a critical human rights issue in Nigeria, with at least 30% of women aged 15-49 experiencing physical or sexual violence.
She enumerated practices such as child marriage, female genital mutilation, and domestic violence as some harmful actions and violence against the womenfolk in the country, calling for an end to the menace.
“To effectively address GBV, ImpactHouse recommends that state governments enact and implement the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act and establish dedicated GBV courts.
“The National Assembly and state legislatures should allocate adequate funding to support the enforcement of GBV laws and establish shelters and crisis hotlines,” she suggested.
Chinomso also opined that to address violence against women and girls drastically, Nigeria Police Force and judiciary should implement mandatory training programmes to their personnel to ensure survivor-centred responses and eliminate harmful biases.
“The National Orientation Agency should lead nationwide campaigns to challenge patriarchal norms and GBV stigma. Local governments should establish community-based support centres to address the unique challenges faced by survivors in rural areas,” she said.
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