As part of efforts to combat violence against women and girls (VAWG), the Cross River State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Edema Irom, has issued several calls on how to curb the prevalence of gender-based violence (GBV) in the state.
The theme of the 2023 annual event is: Unite, invest to end violence against women and girls.
According to the organisers, the United Nations designated it to commemorate the murder of 16 Dominican women killed because of their activism against GBV.
The commissioner stated in a press briefing that violence against women and girls remains the most widespread human rights violation in the world, stressing that its prevalence is now increasing further due to crisis of climate change, global conflict and economic instability.
“We thank the government for ensuring that certain legal provisions such as the violence against persons prohibition (VAPP) law and the disability rights law are in place. We are also commending government, especially the judiciary, for having designated an additional family court for hearing of cases. This is a good start and we are grateful” he said.
Edema stressed that the sexual offence register domiciled in the Citizens Rights Department of the Ministry of Justice should be made functional and accessible and called for speedy dispensation of cases of violence against women and girls still pending in courts.
“We call on our ever supportive traditional leaders and institutions to ensure HTPs do not take place in their communities. We call on communities to have in place by-laws that will support the implementation of the VAPP, Child’s Right Law, Disability Rights Law and other legislation that support an end to VAWG in the state,’’ she said.
On his part, Mr Remi Ajuga of the National Human Rights Commission noted that GBV ranked high among the issues addressed by the commission.
Ajuga said women and girls have continued to experience various forms of violence despite documents and protocols in place to promote as well as protect their rights, but expressed optimism that with the 16 days activism, all GBV response and prevention actors in the state will continue to advocate for an end to all forms of violence against women and girls.
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