The Kogi State Government has reinstated its commitment to eradicating all forms of Gender-Based Violence.
The Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Fatima Kabir-Buba disclosed this on Thursday at a one-day Awareness Creation on Prevention of Gender-Based Violence, organized by the ministry in collaboration with Community Initiative to Promote peace and Mercy Corps in Lokoja.
Fatima said the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act signed into law by the Governor, criminalizes domestic, political violence and other forms of violence by state actors.
She appealed to stakeholders to embark on awareness campaigns across communities in the state for information about the law that was signed by the Executive Governor, Yahaya Bello.
Kabir-Buba disclosed this on Thursday at a one-day Awareness Creation on Prevention of Gender-Based Violence, organized by the ministry in collaboration with Community Initiative to Promote peace and Mercy Corps in Lokoja.
She said the Violence Against Persons Prohibition act signed into law by the Governor, criminalizes domestic, political violence, and other forms of violence by state actors in the state.
She appealed to stakeholders to embark on awareness campaigns across communities in the state for information about the law.
The Commissioner while speaking on the theme of the programme tagged; “Unite Activism to End Violence Against Women and Girls”, said the campaign is aimed at addressing issues affecting women, girls and people with disability, adding that, such issues include; rape, harassment and cultural practices are harmful to women and children.
On the 2023 general election, the Commissioner called on election observers to ensure that women’s rights are protected.
Fatima advised participants to embark on preaching the message of peace to youths to prevent them from engaging in violence before, during and after elections.
She noted that women have the right and capacity to participate fully in electoral processes and advised them not to underestimate themselves but rise to participate in politics to enable them occupy political offices like their male counterparts.
The Commissioner appreciated the groups partnering with the ministry to ensure that Gender-Based Violence is minimized, and called on various stakeholders to embark on adequate sensitisation on its effects in communities to achieve smooth and violence-free elections in 2023.
Presenting a paper titled “Awareness Creation on Prevention of Gender-Based Violence, 2023 General election in View”, Idris Ozovehe Muraina described Gender-Based Violence as a power play in a society where one gender owns power and uses it against the other.
