Gender Based Violence; Osun first lady calls for a synergy by mothers to fight the menace

Against the growing and highly disturbing trend of Gender Based Violence, a passionate appeal has again been made by the wife of the Governor, state of Osun, Mrs Kafayat Oyetola to all mothers to form a common front that will help nip  the menace in the bud completely.

   

First lady of the state of Osun, who is also the Chairperson Southern Governors Wives Forum, Mrs Kafayat Oyetola made the call in Awka , Anambra state during a *Mothers Day Summit* hosted by the state.

With the theme" *Fighting Gender Based Violence in Covid-19 era* ", the event held at Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka, the capital of  Anambra state.

Describing it as an harmful act directed at a person, male or female, Mrs Oyetola this time around noted with deep concern that the harmful acts are mostly found to be rooted in gender inequality, abuse of power and harmful traditional practices among others. She therefore emphasised on the urgent need to form a band wagon synergy to redress the many wrongs and attendant hazards associated with the trend.

To buttress her position while condemning gender Based Violence in its entirety, Mrs Oyetola further explained that researchers have discovered that  women are usually at the receiving end of these harmful acts.

 

The Osun first lady cited some of the bad aspects of the issue of gender based to include but not limited to verbal harassment, female Genital mutilation, denials, blockade from resources, sometimes based on matrimonial status or widowhood,  subjection of women to injurious activities  like rape, beating and assault among others. 

    

On the activities of the wives of Governors in Nigeria, Mrs Oyetola who is the Chairperson of the Forum in the South, said the national umbrella body of the Forum is not leaving any stone to right the many wrongs associated with the myriad of gender based shortcomings in the society. 

In his Opening remarks, one of the resource persons who delivered a paper at the summit, Professor Chike Okoye stated that, the problem of Gender Based Violence such as child marriage, female genital mutilation, torture, high handedness and  physical punishment among others make children to be exposed to the many dangers associated with the menace.

Prof. Okoye therefore  advised on the need to put an end to the ugly and inhuman menace in the society just as she tasked all stakeholders especially women  to  strengthen the  economic support of the family through wholesome efforts  to fight gender based violence in Covid-19 era.

Also Speaking at the event, the Chief host and wife of the Governor of Anambra state, Lady (Mrs) Ebelechukwu Obiano aligned her submissions on the menace as earlier articulated by the Osun First lady, Mrs Kafayat Oyetola.

 

She also commended her and other Governors wives in the South and the country at large for not leaving any stone unturned to fight Gender based Violence in the society. 

Virtually all the wives of the Governors in the South were in attendance while the Minister of women Affairs, Mrs Paulen Tallen was represented by a permanent Secretary in her Ministry.