A group, Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF) has intensified its campaign to combat Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Nigeria.
This is even as ii hosted its fifth annual advocacy “WARIF No Tolerance March”, an annual campaign to commemorate the United Nations (UN) 16 Days of Activism to combat GBV worldwide.
In Lagos, the march across the Lekki/Ikoyi link bridge commenced with an address from the United States chargé d’affaires, Mr. David Greene.
He highlighted the alarming statistics that one in three women encounters sexual violence before turning 18 and commended WARIF’s initiative.
Th US official urged all present at the event to continue the fight against gender-based violence.
The governor of Lagos State, who was represented by the commissioner for youth and social development, Hon. Mobolaji Ogunlende, highlighted the importance of the march, stating that, “It is our collective responsibility to change the statistics of rape and sexual violence into stories of resilience and change, challenge the stat to quo and pave the way for a future where every girl and woman can live in a society free of rape and other forms of gender-based violence”.
The founder of WARIF, Dr. Kemi Dasilva Ibru, said, “This year march was held in 10 cities across three continents as “we recognise the pervasive impact of gender-based violence globally. It is important to raise awareness not only in our various communities in solos but as one collective force across the world. This is what we are attempting to do. We look forward to including even more cities in the years to come”.
