The wife of Abia State Governor, Mrs Priscilla Otti and state commissioner for women affairs, Maureen Aghukwa on Monday joined MenEngage Network Nigeria and Seidihub to stage a road walk in Umuahia in continuation of the 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM on GENDER BASED VIOLENCE.
Mrs Otti and Mrs Maureen represented by Ifeanyi Nlewedim urged people to join hands to stamp out gender based violence in Abia State and Nigeria at large.
They noted that men are also involved in receiving GBV attacks and charged all to speak out.
The State director of NOA, Mrs Regina Iruoha advised both men and women to speak out against GBV.
She mentioned that physical violence, emotional abuse, sexual violence, economic abuse which involves beatings, assault, verbal insults, humiliation, rape, harassment, child marriage etc are life threatening and should be stopped.
Also speaking, the program manager of Seidihub, Dr Caroline Charles Ezinne said they decided to engage men to join in their sensitization.
She appealed to all stakeholders to join their organisation to speak for the voiceless in the society.
Dr Caroline advised people in their attitudes, business and work place, to have on the back of their mind that they want to end GBV if not any other place in Nigeria and Abia State.
She added that the menEngage network Nigeria is funding them and what they want to achieve is getting men to be real men and push the change they want in the forefront of their actvities.
Caroline maintained that the aim of bringing men was to allow them lead the walk for life.
Chairman association of heads of federal establishments in Abia State, Mrs Gloria Abiakam and the state chairman of Nigeria association of women journalists, NAWOJ, Mrs Josephine Ogwo noted that abuse is on the high side.
They urged people not to stay in marriages and die because of their children who can survive and become what God want them to be in future. But should be bold to speak out when they are facing any form of GBV.
Contributing, barrister Chinenye Atuma from NOA reminds people to report any case of GBV to human rights commission office, international federation of female lawyers, while madam Priscilla Ogbonna from open government partnership encouraged people to join their voice fight GBV even child labour.
