Stakeholders seek aggressive awareness to end gender based violence in C’River
By Ani Bassey, Calabar
Stakeholders on gender based violence(GBV) have advocated for massive enlightenment campaigns to sensitize the populace against the menace.
Such campaigns should also aim at educating the vulnerable population of existing legislations meant to checkmate such excesses.
“The challenge at hand is that most of our people are not even aware of this and this promotes the culture of silence thereby encouraging them to continue in their dastardly acts”, Comrade Ukeme Ekong, Chairperson of Network To Sexual Abuse NETCUSA, said.
Speaking further she said “Here in Cross River, we have the VAPP Law 2021 and Child Right Law 2023 enacted to eliminate violence in private and public environments, provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims as well as punishments for offenders.
“There’s also the family court designed to fast-track the dispensation of justice on the issue at stake, information on the matter is vital”, she said.
State coordinator, of the Association of NGOs Working with Orphans and Vulnerable Children Asi Archibong opined that awareness campaigns need to be extended to the hinterlands where sexual abuses and exploitations are prevalent.
‘We need to scale up the level of awareness with regards to available legal means to protect the vulnerable population and prosecute offenders.
“Creating awareness is key to spreading the clear message of zero tolerance for all forms of violence against women and girls”, she said.
Gender focal officer, Ministry of Health, Cross River State, Felicia Ayim said plans are underway for a massive enlightenment exercise across the state.
Cross River State has been in the forefront of eliminating GBV in the state and the number persons have been convicted for various GBV offences in the state in recent weeks.
