Due to the high rate of Gender-Based Violence and other harmful practices in the West Africa region, stakeholders across West Africa have pledged their commitment to combat the menace.
The stakeholders pledged St during the Annual High-Level Gender-Based Violence Summit with Traditional and Faith Leaders in West Africa, organized by the UN Women in partnership with the Ford Foundation held in Abuja.
The UN Women representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS Ms. Beatrice Eyong, said despite recorded progress in recent years including increasing women’s representation in leadership in some countries within the region, women and girls in We]st Africa are still disadvantaged based on their gender.
“The importance of challenging societal norms that condone violence, “GBV is not just against our women and girls, it’s against our economic growth, stability, and our emergence to become a continent that has all it takes to be great and prosperous.”
The President of Ford Foundation, Mr. Darren Walker, thanked the stakeholders for their commitments but charged them to do more to ensure a violence-free and just society.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Saad the Third, and the President of, the Christian Association of Nigeria, most reverend Daniel Okoh said their institutions are always ready for dialogue, however, noted that implementation of policies is paramount to eradicating GBV in Nigeria
“we will support you but you also have to support us by listening to us first maybe before you jump into other things… We are ready to give our best to the country, and talk about peace and stability based on justice, fair play, and equity”
“It is a violation of human rights and barriers to achieving sustainable development goals and social cohesion. As religious leaders, we must give moral leadership in speaking out against all forms of violence and injustice including gender-based violence and to work towards a more just and equitable society for all to live and flourish in without fear of discrimination or intimidation”, Reverend Okoh
Similarly, the Minister of Women Affairs Mrs. Uju Kennedy-Ohanneye reiterated the government’s commitment to women’s empowerment and the protection of women and girls in the country.
Leaders from Niger, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Ghana echoed similar commitments to addressing gender-based issues and harmful practices within their respective countries.
In Africa, Gender-Based Violence is believed to be deeply rooted in cultural and traditional norms which have continued to contribute to the prevalence of violence against women and girls.
The annual summit brings together traditional and faith leaders to take stock of achievements made in their respective jurisdictions and facilitate a space for sharing critical and inspiring insights.
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