16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST GBV: GIDCOWAY EMBARKS ON ROAD WALK, ADVOCACY VISIT TO NEW HAVEN MARKET,ENUGU
Enugu – As part of activities to mark this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence (GBV), an Enugu based Gender focused NGO, Global Initiative for the Development and Care of Women and Youths(GIDCOWAY),on Saturday, organized a road walk and sensitization visit to New Haven Market, Enugu.
Participants in the exercise wore white or orange T-shirts and carried placards with inscriptions such as”GIDCOWAY Road Show To Mark 16 Days of Activism For The Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls”, “Together we unite! No excuse for violence”.
With accompanying music, they marched from Oakland Hotel, Ebeano Tunnel through Ogui Road to New Haven Market.
In her speech, while addressing traders at New Haven Market, Enugu, the Executive Director, GIDCOWAY, Ngozi Ebo stated that GIDCOWAY organized the exercise so as to sensitive the traders and the general public on the importance of speaking out against Gender Based Violence.
She also decried the role of some women groups such as Umuada in inflicting more pain and GBV on fellow women and widows:
“When a woman is agonizing over the loss of her husband, women groups such as Umuada will come to inflict more pain on her through obnoxious widowhood practices.
“They may even go to the extent of forcing her to drink the water used in bathing her late husband’s corpse, to prove that she wasn’t responsible for his death.
Also, Mrs Esther Mbah, Director Gender Affairs, Ministry of Gender Affairs & Social Development stated that the Enugu Ministry of Gender & Social Development had zero tolerance for GBV and was fully in support of GIDCOWAY and other organizations working to end the scourge in the state.
In his own comment, Emmanuel Amaechi Nwatu, PRO, NSCDC, Enugu State Command said:
“I strongly supports GIDCOWAY in saying no to GBV, which is an evil we must all eschew. We can’t develop with discrimination. Our (NSCDC) motto is defending the defenseless. NSCDC is happy to support this project”
Mr Chris Ugonna, Chairman, New Haven Market Traders Association expressed his total support for all programs aimed at eliminating Gender Based Violence.
Barr Angela Nchedo Adili, former Social Secretary, NBA Oji River and a human rights activist had this to say:”The road sensitization is a very good step forward for people to understand that they have protection and Government backup, irrespective of any violence they may face.
“Citizens’ protection is the Government’s priority, hence the enactment of the VAPP (Violence Against Persons Prohibition) law which is quite extensive.
“Therefore, citizens are urged to speak out to protect their lives, mental, social, psychological issues.You have a right to have 100%mental balance. It’s a very big project for our 1st lady Mbah, who takes it as her own. To ensure that Enugu State is free of Gender Based Violence”
