GOV IKPEAZU’S WIFE BEGINS 16 DAYS ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER BASED VIOLENCE

REPORTER: LAWRENCE NWOKEDI

The wife of the Abia State Governor, Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu, has identified fear of stigimitazation by victims and slow litigation process as some of the challenges facing the fight against Gender Based Violence (GBV) amongst women.

Mrs. Ikpeazu made this known in Umuahia at the commencement of 16 days of activism against Gender Based Violence to women and girls.

She noted that violence against Women and girls had become a problem of pandemic proportion that needed to be tackled headlong.

According to the Governor’s wife, at least one of every three women and girls around the world has falled victim of domestic violence, mutilation, rape, sexual harrassment and early child marriage.

She listed poverty reduction amongst women through skill acquisition and empowerment grants; sponsoring of a bill on violence against persons, which had been passed into law by the state House of Assembly; and setting up Gender Based Violence action committee to ensure rapid responces to incidences at the state level, as some of the efforts made by her office in addressing the menace.

Mrs. Ikpeazu pointed out that as part of efforts to reduce the urgly trend, GBV desk officers had been appointed in the 17 local government areas of the state to handle cases concerning the domestic violence and other related matters.

She also said that plans were underway to establish anti-GBV clubs in schools in the state, noting that government had trained some schools advisors and staff of the Ministry of Education that would drive the process.