By Justina Auta
The National Council for Women Societies (NCWS) has advocated for more funding and commitment by government to tackle Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and other harmful traditional practices against women and girls.
The National President of NCWS, Hajiya Lami Adamu-Lau, made the call while briefing the media in Abuja as part of activities to commemorate the 16 Days of Activism to end GBV campaign.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the campaign, a global observance, starts from Nov.
25, which is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women to Dec.
10, which is International Human Rights Day.
The annual UN campaign has been dedicated to fighting SGBV and harmful traditional practices meted out to women and girls around the globe, and forging women’s rights and has “UNITE! Invest to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls” as the theme for 2023.
Adamu-Lau, therefore, said that the challenges affecting women and girls hamper their growth, development and increase gender inequality in all areas.
She added that “beyond our demands for good governance, more strategic actions are required to end insecurity.
“We are concerned and advocate for practical government commitment and from all duty bearers, and investments that will contribute to reducing poverty, prevent and challenge violence against women and girls.
”
She said that the 2023 theme of the global observance calls for collective efforts and strategic investments to eradicate the pervasive issue of GBV.
The NCWS boss said “we need to prioritise the allocation of resources, intentional gender-friendly budgeting toward funding transformational interventions that address GBV.
“We recognise the critical role that investments plays in preventing violence.
“By supporting education, awareness campaigns, community engagement, and the development of support systems, we can create environments that foster equality, respect and safety for all.
“Together, we can empower individuals and communities to challenge harmful norms and build a future where everyone can live free from violence and fear.
“Let us unite in our dedication to building a world where every person is treated with dignity and respect, free from the threat of gender-based violence.
”
She also called for more women appointment, review of the five rejected gender bills, supplementary budget to accommodate implementation of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, the revised National Gender Policy and structured economic empowerment of women.
In another development, the NCWS and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) partnered to train people at the grassroots on the ills of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and the need to stop the practice.
Karima Bungudu, the Gender/FGM Analyst, UNFPA, said that the partnership was aimed at reaching out to communities and convincing them to stop FGM practice.
“This is a critical moment for us to come together during this training of trainers section to be able to build capacity and knowledge, so that when we go back to our states, we are able to mobilise at the grassroots and have an FGM-free Nigeria.
”
Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu