The Kogi State Ministry of Women Affairs has restated the commitment of the state government to eradicating Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the state.
The state’s commissioner for women affairs, Hajia Fatima Kabir Buba, gave the assurance at a one-day ‘’Awareness Creation on Prevention of Gender-Based Violence’’, in Lokoja.
The programme was organised by the Ministry of Women Affairs in collaboration with Mercy-Corps Community Initiative to Promote Peace (Mercy Corps-CIPP), in Lokoja.
Buba said the programme’s theme: “Unite Activism To End Violence Against Women and Girls”, was a campaign aimed at addressing issues affecting women, girls and people with disability.
According to her, issues affecting these vulnerable group include; rape, harassment and cultural practices that are harmful to women and children.
She called on election observers in the forthcoming general elections to ensure that women’s rights are protected.
She advised participants to embark on preaching the message of peace to youths to prevent them from engaging in violence before, during and after elections.
The resource person, Amb. Idris Ozovehe Muraina, in his paper presentation titled; “Awareness Creation on Prevention of Gender-Based Violence, 2023 General election in View”, described GBV as a power play in the society where one gender owe a power and use it against the other.
Maraina, who is the executive director, Renaissance Care and Empowerment Foundation (RECEF), said GBV include; sexual violence, intimidation, harassment, domestic, verbal, physical, psychological, and power play violence, among others.
He stressed that GBV lead to destructions of lives and property as well as prevent the growth and development of a society.
