NGO Advocates Specialised Courts On GBV Cases

A non-governmental organisation, Centre for Gender Economics in Africa (CGE Africa), has advocated the establishment and funding of specialised courts that will expedite handling of cases on gender-based violence (GBV) that occur in the nation’s rural communities.

The organisation which said it has inspired diverse leaders in Africa to attain gender equality in economics policies and practices, averred that specialised courts would help to speedily address delayed justice and curb increasing violence against women.

The executive director, CGE Africa, Mrs Uchenna Idoko, made the advocacy yesterday during a gender responsive budget training for staff of the Cross River State House of Assembly in Calabar.

Speaking on the theme, “Gender Responsive Budgeting for GBV: Prevention and Mitigation in Cross River State,” Idoko stated that the call became necessary due to increasing incidents of gender-based violence in rural communities.

Idoko who did not give the exact number of cases of GBV in rural communities across the state, advocated gender mainstreaming and budgeting from the preparatory stage to the period of implementation and oversight.

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“When we are looking at gender documents from design to implementation and oversight. We should ensure that existing gaps are closed.

“Assuming there are 500 men working in the State House Assembly, how many males are you employing as compared to the number of female employees? What is the ratio in terms of employability?

“Gender budgeting is not  a separate budget for men and women; it’s about mainstreaming it; making advocacy for a budget that will provide equal opportunities for both genders rather than making provisions which are lopsided,” Idoko stated.

The executive director charged the Cross River State House of Assembly (CRHA) to ensure that monies budgeted for GBV are speedily released to the Ministry of Women Affairs to enable the ministry tackle GBV issues in the state.