Top photo: (L), Edo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Mrs. Eugenia Abdallah
Bottom photo: 4th from (L), Hon. Mrs. Eugenia Abdallah and stakeholders
From our news desk, Benin
The Edo State Government has renewed its commitment to intensify the fight against gender-based violence (GBV), as the State Gender-Based Violence Management Committee (GBV MC) held its 17th Quarterly Meeting with stakeholders.
As stronger and more coordinated action to prevent violence and improve support for survivors, have been pledged.
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The meeting which held
in Benin City, the State Capital, brought together government officials, civil society organisations, traditional institutions, development partners and other stakeholders to review progress, identify gaps and strengthen the State’s response to GBV.
Addressing participants, the Coordinator, Office of the First Lady and Chairperson of the Edo State GBV MC, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani, commended stakeholders for their sustained commitment and collaboration.
Mrs. Anani stressed that ending GBV requires consistent and coordinated action from government, civil society, traditional rulers, development partners and communities.
She reaffirmed the State Government’s commitment to ensuring that women, girls, children and other vulnerable persons live free from violence, abuse and discrimination.
While pointing out that several programmes were being implemented through her office in partnership with relevant stakeholders.
Anani further highlighted the establishment of GBV School Clubs across the State as one of the initiatives, aimed at preventing violence among young people.
The clubs she explained, are designed to educate students about their rights, promote healthy relationships, prevent violence and provide information on reporting mechanisms and available support services.
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She also acknowledged the two-day assessment visit to Edo State by the House of Representatives Committee on Women Affairs.
An engagement she said, provided the opportunity to showcase the State’s progress in addressing GBV while identifying areas requiring improved prevention, protection and response mechanisms.
The Coordinator urged members of the GBV MC to further strengthen referral systems, survivor services, data collection, prevention initiatives, community engagement and accountability in the State’s collective response to GBV.
Making remarks, the State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Eugenia Abdallah disclosed that Edo had received the Award of Excellence as the Best Performing State in Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Protection.
The award she noted was distinguishing; was conferred on the State at the 26th National Council on Women Affairs, Child Advancement and Social Development held in Taraba State, the Commissioner disclosed.
Hon. Abdallah further said the recognition was a testament to the collective efforts of stakeholders across the State, and not the achievement of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development alone.
As she reaffirmed the core mandate of the GBV Committee to safeguard women, girls, children and other vulnerable persons, while creating an environment where they can live free from violence in homes, schools, communities and other spaces.
Also contributing, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomole called for prompt, compassionate and confidential care for survivors of GBV; stressing the need for timely medical attention, psycho-social support, proper documentation and referral for justice.
He urged survivors not to delay seeking help, adding; that fear and stigma should not prevent access to essential services.
Oshiomhole also disclosed that the Ministry of Health is strengthening the State’s health-sector response through staff training, improved referral systems, better documentation and the expansion of sexual assault referral centres.
While emphasising the importance of reliable data in guiding prevention and response efforts.
Similarly, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, represented by the Director of Information in the Ministry, Mrs. Maureen Nwine, highlighted the Ministry’s role in public sensitisation and awareness on GBV.
Prince Afegbua disclosed that GBV jingles had been produced and were being aired on the Edo Broadcasting Service (EBS) television and radio platforms.
Speaking from the youths perspective, UNICEF Young Influencer and student, Miss Isabelle Anani, drew attention to cyberstalking as an underreported form of GBV, particularly among girls and young women in schools.
Citing a 2017 UNICEF Nigeria report, she noted the prevalence of GBV among adolescent girls and young women in Nigeria.
Drawing from her experience in a male-dominated engineering programme, Anani said student-to-student cyberbullying persists partly because of inadequate consequences for perpetrators and the absence of safe and confidential reporting channels.
She therefore called on institutions to establish confidential safe spaces where girls and young women can report incidents, receive trusted support and access appropriate referral services.
The meeting featured presentations and reports from various stakeholders, with participants reviewing progress, identifying key gaps and discussing measures to strengthen prevention, survivor support, referrals, data systems, community engagement and accountability.
The stakeholders concluded the meeting with a renewed collective commitment to intensify the fight against gender-based violence and build an Edo State where every woman, girl, child and vulnerable person can live with dignity, safety and freedom from violence.
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