Women Lawyers Partner With Enforcement Agencies To Curb Gender-Based Violence

The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria, has provided a knowledge sharing opportunity for various arms of law enforcement agents and other key agencies of government involved in dealing with gender-based issues  to curb rising cases across Nigeria.

Disturbed by the trend, the Ikeja branch of FIDA, organised the Human Rights Includers Dialogue on Promoting Gender-Sensitive Cultures in Law Enforcement Agencies Towards Preventing Gender-based Violence.” in Lagos.

The dialogue demonstrated the group’s shared commitment  to eradicating the pressing human rights crisis.

Its vice chairperson on Education, Stella Mbachu, in her opening remarks, emphasised that statistics surrounding violence against women and girls remain alarming.

She demanded a coordinated and robust and emphatic response “from all of us, particularly working together with the law enforcement and security sectors.”

Drawing attention of participants to relevant data, Mbachu, noted that almost one in every three women have been subjected to either physical, sexual or some form of violence in their lifetime.

“Closing the gap, therefore, between these three figures, we see that accessing and getting justice requires serious dialogue, utilising specialised response strategies and working with community trust.

“FIDA Nigeria has held previous dialogues with other institutions  such as the faith-based institutions, traditional leaders of relevant communities in our society, all in quest to see how we can surmount this  and prevent gender-based violence.” she said.

She said the group is engaging the law enforcement agencies because of their belief that they are the frontline defenders of the rule of law and they are usually the first responders, adding, “Those people first reach out whenever there’s an issue of violence or harmful practices  or any issues regarding the protection of women in our various communities. We believe strongly that you hold the power  to dismantle the culture of violence, the culture of silence, the culture of pretense and endurance that permeates our society and all that surrounds gender-based violence.”

Mbachu, called for broader understanding and collaboration to educate and to better protect and ensure that when they reach out to us, we’re able to do the right thing, informing, guiding and dealing with these perpetrators and opponents of the law so that we can gradually bring an end to gender-based violence.

Continuing she explained that, “The aim of this dialogue, therefore, is to provide a strategic solution-oriented platform designed to examine and to understand the challenges faced by our various law enforcement agencies in dealing with these issues of gender-based violence.  It also seeks to refine the collective operational capacity and to find workable practical solutions in dealing with gender-based violence.”