From Abel Leonard, Lafia
In a concerted effort to eradicate gender-based violence (GBV) against women and girls, the advocacy group Baobab for Women’s Human Rights, in collaboration with Youths for Peace Building & Development in Africa (YOUPEDA), initiated a campaign titled “2023 16 Days of Activism: Men ARISE and Prevent Gender-Based Violence Against Women and Girls.”
Saturday marked the launch of the campaign with an Advocacy Walk led by the Nasarawa coordinator, Obi Onyeigwe, and campaign representative, Sam.
Emphasizing the importance of this movement, Onyeigwe stated, “We are here to create awareness and prevent physical violence against women and girls, aiming to eliminate such occurrences in every community.”
The focus of the 16-day activism involves utilizing men and boys to generate awareness within communities. “Men are taking actions to reduce gender-based violence,” Onyeigwe asserted during the walk from Nyanya Gwandara to Ado junction.
While not directly involved in law enforcement, the organizing body collaborates with NAPTIN and local security agencies to address cases beyond their control. “We have mechanisms in place to handle situations,” Onyeigwe mentioned.
Furthermore, part of the campaign’s strategy includes sensitizing school leaders, particularly in tertiary institutions, to educate them on the necessity of preventing violence against women and girls.
Expressing support for the initiative, Zaphania Bojeaba, the youth leader and representative of the district head in Nyanya Gwandara, noted the significance of the program in curbing prevalent cases of violence against women in their community.
“This awareness will significantly reduce such occurrences among our people,” Bojeaba affirmed, commending the organizers for choosing their community as the launch site for this critical awareness campaign.