Stakeholders have called for stronger coordinated action against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) to protect vulnerable persons in the country.
They made the call in a communique issued after a virtual national dialogue on “Preventing Gender-Based Violence and Torture Against Women in Nigeria”, on Wednesday.
The dialogue was organised by the Legend Golden Care Foundation (LGCF) in partnership with the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) with the theme, “Closing the Protection Gap: Strengthening Prevention and Response to GBV and Torture Against Women.”
The stakeholders, comprising of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) legal practitioners, students, human rights advocates, media reps and institutional stakeholders said that laws alone were insufficient to guarantee protection of vulnerable persons in the society.
In the communique singed by LGCF Project Lead, Miss Dauda Umulkuruthum, the stakeholders said effective implementation, adequate funding, stronger coordination and accountability are essential to ensure women can access justice, protection and support.
They underscored the need to strengthen institutional responses, improve cooperation among relevant agencies and make legal aid and referral services more accessible to survivors.
Umulkuruthum said that the foundation commenced its project on Combating Gender-Based Violence and Torture for Rural and Incarcerated Women at the Suleja Custodial Centre in Niger, where dignity kits were distributed to participants.
According to her, the first engagement reached 30 women at the centre through sessions on menstrual hygiene, emotional wellbeing and survivors’ rights.
She said that the foundation also reached Dobi community in Abuja, where a sensitisation outreach on GBV, torture prevention and human rights were carried out.
Umulkuruthum explained that the emphasis was on strengthening awareness and encouraging community participation in preventing abuse.
She said that the initiative seeks to prevent and respond to GBV and torture while promoting the rights, dignity and protection of women in rural communities and custodial settings.
According to her, it also aims to challenge harmful norms that perpetuate abuse and strengthen collaboration among communities, institutions and other stakeholders to improve protection for women whose experiences often go unheard.
“These activities reflect the project’s broader commitment to sustained outreach, violence prevention and improved access to protection for rural and incarcerated women,” he said.
Umulkuruthum said that while awareness helped women understand their rights and identify avenues for assistance, effective institutional responses were necessary to make those rights meaningful.
She said that implementing existing legal frameworks effectively, providing adequate resources for support services and strengthening accountability among institutions responsible for preventing and responding to abuse.
She said that the LGCF and OMCT are working to sustain attention on the experiences of rural and incarcerated women as well as encourage stronger responses to gender-based violence and torture. (NAN)
