December 09, (THEWILL) – The First Lady of Bayelsa State, Dr Gloria Diri, says collaborative commitment by all and sundry is needed to stem the tide of Gender Based Violence (GBV) in order to foster a safer, secure, equitable and peaceful society.
Dr Diri stated this when her foundation, Gloria Diri Foundation, collaborated with the Bayelsa State Gender Response Team (GRIT), and other non-governmental organizations, including Eunice Nnachi Women Advocacy Foundation (ENWAF), to stage a walk against sexual and gender-based violence to commemorate the 16 Days of Activism with the theme, “Unite, Invest to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls”.
The First Lady, who was represented by the Secretary of the GRIT, comrade Inatimi Odio, assured that the government is not resting on its oars to ensure that gender-based violence is reduced to the barest minimum.
She added that there is a need for victims to break the culture of silence in order to get the needed help, noting that the Bayelsa State Government has put together the Gender Response Initiative Team (GRIT) to help victims of gender-based violence and also give them the needed support to help them overcome the trauma.
Dr Diri thanked the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Bayelsa State Council, Bayelsa State chapter of Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, ENWAF, STARRZ Initiative, and many other NGOs for the support.
Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of NUJ, Bayelsa State Council, Judith Young, noted that the media is an essential lever in the fight against gender-based violence.
Young noted that the media has a great responsibility to promote the advocacy towards ending violence against women while calling on journalists to report accurately as it concerns the menace.
She assured that the media will take a committed stance, through the promotion of ethical journalism, in reporting the menace of gender-based violence against women and girls, stressing more grassroots sensitization and awareness-creation on issues of gender-based violence.
On her part, the CEO of Eunice Nnachi Women Advocacy Foundation (ENWAF), Eunice Nnachi, insisted that it is the duty of everyone to ensure that society is rid of the ugly trend of violence.
Nnachi stated that her NGO, ENWAF, is at the forefront of the campaign against any form of violence against women as well as the girl child or boys.
She called on parents to be alert to their responsibility as the gatekeepers at home, pointing out that most rising cases of gender violence are attributed to economic deprivation and lack of social security.
The ENWAF CEO explained that the fight against gender-based violence requires an approach that is both liberating and self-sustaining, stressing that socio-economic emancipation remains the shortest route to ending the ugly trend.
The walk kicked off at the popular Tombia roundabout and ended at Opolo.
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