The Governors’ Wives Forum has united to end all forms of gender based violence (GBV) across the country.
Speaking at the End GBV In Nigeria summit, organised by the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS), in collaboration with Ford Foundation in Abuja, the forum’s chairperson, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, said the group will do everything in its power to end GBV in all forms across the country.
“We should do everything legally possible to end gender-based violence in the country. Our law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders should redouble their efforts to see the end of violence against women. By ending violence against women, our society will know peace and develop,” she said.
The wife of the governor of Ekiti State, who was flanked by the wives of the governors of Edo, Abia and Niger, urged states to enact laws against GBV.
She said culture and religion shouldn’t be a cover to perpetrate violence against women. She, therefore, called on traditional and religious leaders to lead the advocacy against GBV.
In her address, the wife of the Edo State governor, Mrs. Becky Obaseki, said she had inaugurated the House-to-House awareness campaign against sexual-based violence in the state.
Obaseki said the state reduced the incidence of rape and other [forms of] violence against women through the campaign and advocacy.
The wife of the Niger State governor, Dr. Amina Sani Bello said the state had made laws against GBV and had stepped up the campaign to end it.
Amina said with the support of law enforcement agencies successes were recorded in the fight against violence against women.
On her part, the wife of the Abia State governor, Dr. Nkechi Ikpeazu, said the agency protecting the rights of women in the state had collaborated with the state judiciary to accelerate all suits instituted against all those who had violated the rights of women.
