Hon. Florence Gbinigie, President of Nigerian Women In Politics(FONWIP), has joined the advocacy for an end to Sexual and Gender Based Violence against Women.
A former Commissioner for Women Affairs in Edo State, Hon. Gbinigie added her voice to the campaign in a statement she made to mark the occasion of the 16 days international annual advocacy programme which commences on the 25th November and ends on the Human Rights Day (10th December).
Going down memory lane she said: “It was started by activists at the inaugural women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991 and continues to be coordinated each year by the Centre for Women’s Global Leadership.It is used as an organizing strategy by individuals and organizations around the world to call for the prevention and elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls.
“In support of this CSO initiatives, the UN Secretary General’s UNiTE by 2030 to end Violence Against Women Campaign (UNiTE Campaign) calls for Global Actions to increase awareness, galvanize advocacy efforts and share knowledge and innovations.
“The theme for the year is ‘Orange theWorld: End Violence Against Women and Girls now. From Awareness to Accountability.’
“Impact of COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrated that the world was unprepared to respond to the escalation of all forms of violence against women and girls. The Global context of violent conflict humanitarian crisis and disaster, including climate related disasters are affecting more people than before with disproportionate impact on women and girls, perpetuating all forms of violence against women and girls.
“For example, the earthquake in Haiti 53 percent of women have already encountered difficulties in accessing health care services. While the lack of housing and shelter is perceived by 83 percent which is a factor of insecurity and increased risk of violence.”
Going further, she said: “The current complex situation at Afghanistan has led to disregard for the hard earned gains in women’s rights. While the forms and contexts may defer across geographic locations, women and girls universally experience different forms of violence in public and private settings, in context of peace and in context of conflict as well as in humanitarian or crisis settings.
“The most marginalised are women and girls with disabilities, refugees or indigenous, amongst others are at disproportionate risk and face greater barriers accessing services and Justice. In Nigeria today, there are also increasd cases of violence against women and girls with the incessant kidnapping of school girls which was started in the north east by the boko Haram insurgents, with the example of the Chibok girls case and the Fulani herdsmen raping, killing and kidnapping of women in their farms around the southern part of Nigeria.
“Despite all the several cases of violence against women and girls around the globe, not much have been achieved in curbing this pandemic that is eating deep into the fabrics of the whole world on a daily bases. Today, one of every three women are victims of violence. Hence there is a new treaty being proposed.
“Many of the reasons are not far fetched; there’s no adequate funding for preventive measures of Gender Based Violence, rather much much more is spent in the aftermath. Violence cost the world approximately US$1200 per female on earth annually, or more than US$4trillion yearly to fix, which is expected to cost US$4billion as being proposed, saving cost that can be plunge into another useful venture. As a stitch in time saves nine.
“If one of every three women is a survivor of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, it means that the world is at great risk of survival bc women are the economic and reproductive hub of the world. This therefore call for the world leaders to pay urgent attention to. This has brought in the Global treaty to end preventable violence against women and girls by frontline activists around the world calling for this treaty to end Gender Based Violence. This is the next step to stop the most widespread Human Rights violation on earth.
“There’s the existence of treaty to reduce harm from tobacco, landmines and torture. Therefore a treaty to end violence against women and girls is possible. Once ratified, it will; clarify norms to prevent, protect, eliminate and condemn violence against women and girls; provide a specific, metrics-based reporting framework; establish an international monitoring body; require training and accountability for police officers, judges and health professionals; increase funding for survivors services such as shelter, hot lines and legal aid and priotise violence prevention and education.
“Women’s Rights are Human Rights, it is therefore of relevance to give it a right of place in the society for the world to be a better place for us all to live in.”
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