The ActionAid Nigeria and South Saharan Social Development Organisation (SSDO) has inaugurated Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Response Teams in three communities in Enugu State.
The three communities included Ihenyi and Orokoro Communities in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area (LGA) and Igga Community in Uzo Uwani LGA.
In a speech at the event in Igga Community, the Programme Officer, Local Rights Programme, Priye West, said that GBV remained a significant issue in society, especially in rural communities.
West said that the phenomenon had caused immense harm and violated the rights of individuals, particularly women and girls in rural communities.
According to her, women often cower in fear as their source of livelihood is tied to their abusive partners.
ALSO READ:
- Zenith Bank appoints new Chairman to replace Ovia
- ACF kicks as police seal its Kaduna headquarters
- UCL: Saka’s goal sends Arsenal to final in Budapest
- Media experts warn human interest journalism fading in Nigeria
- Tinubu engages global investors in Paris
“Addressing GBV requires collaborative efforts from government agencies, community stakeholders and civil society organisations.
“Understanding this challenge, SSDO, in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria, under the Local Rights Programme in Enugu State, established a GBV Response Team in three communities.
“This committee of women, market leaders and youth representatives will help raise awareness, prevent and quickly respond to GBV cases.
“As part of these efforts, an advocacy visit was done to community stakeholders in the three communities to get their buy-in,” West said.
A committee member in Igga Community, Mrs Joy Okorie, said that the committee would help women to speak out, prevent men from being violent to their wives and create an atmosphere of dialogue in families.
Each committee had at least 14 members.
