December 09, (THEWILL) – The wife of the Cross River State governor, Rev. Eyoanwan Bassey Otu, says the state has zero tolerance for all forms of Gender Based Violence, GBV.
Rev. Otu disclosed this in Calabar, during a rally to end this year’s 16-day activism with a theme: Invest To End Violence Against Women and Girls.
The governor’s wife, who took part in the walk alongside the State’s Women Affairs Commissioner Edema Irom and several partners, said the government does not take GBV lightly and will drive the war against it to the end.
“Cross River State has a zero tolerance for GBV and the government is doing a lot in this aspect.
“Several culprits are being interrogated for this and others are in jail for this reason.
“We are working with the Ministry of Justice to formulate some policies against rape in the state.
“We will not take the issue of GBV lightly and will drive it to the end”, she said.
On the plight of the disabled in the state which is an aspect of the 16 days of activism, the wife of the governor, said the government runs a very inclusive government where people with disability are being accommodated.
She said the administration has established a disability commission and women will play a prominent role.
“We will run an inclusive government and the governor in his benevolence has established a commission for those with disability, and women will play a prominent role in it”, she said.
She added that nothing makes disabled people lesser human beings as everyone has one disability or the other and asked them to seek God’s help in disabling their disabilities.
Also speaking, the state Commissioner for Women Affairs, Edema Irom, said the state is all out against all forms of Gender-based Violence.
She said during this year’s 16 days of activism, they have had a series of engagements, courtesy visits and advocacy against trafficking, child marriage, and female genital mutilation, among others.
She thanked the state governor for strengthening the Women Affairs Ministry and returning the Women Development Centre to the ministry saying the centre will be replicated in all the LGAs of the state.
Earlier, the head of programmes of the GPI Calabar Centre, said the day’s rally is also held to mark the International Day of Persons with Disability, as well as the National Human Rights Day.
The 16 Days of Activism is a yearly event which begins on the 25th of November and ends on the 10th of December.
It was set aside by the United Nations to commemorate the brutal murder of 16 women from the Dominican Republic who were killed for their activism against GBV.
About the Author
THEWILL Correspondent, Aniekan Bassey has over six years experience that spans across several fields in print journalism including development communication, sexual reproductive and health rights issues, crime, climate change, social justice, business and human interest stories.
