The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, his Women Affairs counterpart, Uju Kennedy-Ohaneye, the Senator representing FCT, Ireti Kingibe, and the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ahmed Abubakar Audi, are among the dignitaries expected at the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence (GBV) ‘5km Orange Walk/Run.’ The event is scheduled for Saturday, November 25, 2023, starting from the Eagle Square, Abuja.
Mrs Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, the Mandate Secretary of the newly created Women Affairs Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), shared this information during a press conference on Thursday at the mandate secretariat in Area 10, Abuja.
Under the slogan “Orange Cloud #LoudIt,” Benjamins-Laniyi highlighted the FCTA’s commitment to reclassify and provide extensive coverage of Gender-based Violence (GBV), a concern she noted has been underreported in the territory.
The 16-day event, running from November 25 to December 9, 2023, will include interactive sessions with stakeholders across the six Area Councils of the FCT.
Themed “Invest To Prevent Violence Against Women and Children,” the event is a global call to action, emphasizing the need to give a voice to the voiceless, including men who may be experiencing physical abuse from their spouses.
Benjamins-Laniyi called for media support, emphasizing the crucial role of the media in reporting and advocating for those facing various forms of violence, as well as people living with disabilities (PWDs).
“The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence aims to eliminate all forms of violence, not only against women and girls but also against men undergoing abuse from their wives. GBV has been underreported in the FCT, but we aim to change that.
We have progressed in that area since my appointment about 29 days ago. This is a call for global action; it is time to report our activities. We want to be the first city in the world to be included in the GBV report in 2023. With the slogan Orange Cloud #LoudIt, this is not just a movement but a shift.
“The Honourable Minister of the FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike, the Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ahmed Abubakar Audi, the Minister of Women Affairs counterpart, Uju Kennedy-Ohaneye, the Senator representing FCT, Ireti Kingibe are some of the dignitaries we are expecting as we kickstart the event on Saturday. That tells you the importance attached to the event.
“It is time to reclassify and give maximum coverage to Gender-based Violence (GBV) in the FCT. The media has a big role to play in championing the cause of those who are undergoing one form of violence or the other and people living with disabilities (PWDs).
The media is critical in selling, reselling, connecting and reconnecting the society, and their role cannot be overemphasized. I call on the media to give this event a loud voice.
It is time to champion the cause of people living with disabilities PWDs, and that is why we are going to give special attention to Women and Girls and Children With Disabilities (WAGCWD),” Benjamins-Laniyi told Nigerian Tribune.
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