CSOs Call for Collaboration on War Against GBV.

By Lucky Isibor 

A group of Civil Society Organisations CSOs, have called for collaborative efforts to stem incidents of Gender Based Violence GBV in communities in Edo South Senatorial District. 

A consortium of Civil Society Organisations made up of Idia Renaissance, Smiles Africa International Youth Development Initiative, Society for Family Initiative SAFI and Christabel Otueroro Foundation,  who are working on Reducing Gender Based Violence in Edo South Senatorial District made the call in Benin City at a stakeholders meeting to share experiences on the implementation of the project which is financed by the European Union and implemented by the British Council in collaboration with the consortium. 

Speaking at the stakeholders meeting, Project Manager of Idia Renaissance, the lead organisation in the consortium,  Mr. Moses Urowayino while suing for collaboration of the stakeholders, appealed to community members to always be on the look out for cases of GBV in their communities and direct them to members of the consortium who will assist in reporting such cases to relevant government agencies for action.

According to Urowayino, "We need to put our heads together to combat the menace of Gender Based Violence. Those who are in the communities, you're our eyes there, whenever you see cases of GBV, direct the victims to us, members of the organisations who will in turn direct them to appropriate agency of government to take  necessary action. We have the media houses  also as our partners that will assist to put these things in the public domain. You've been hearing our jingles being aired by these our media partners. 

"The project was funded by the European Union through the British Council and it's ending today. Now that there will be no more funding does it mean we have to abandon the interventions the project introduced in terms of preventing GBV and assisting survivors? So, assist in any little way possible to continue to prevent GBV and assist victims", he appealed. 

While speaking on where victims and survivors of GBV can get help, a Social Welfare Officer in the Edo State Ministry of Sociak Development and Gender Issues, Mrs Eseosa Onabanmi disclosed that the Edo State Government has established the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Benin City, adding that it is a one stop shop for victims and survivors of GBV. 

While calling on community members to say something when ever they suspect any case of GBV, Mrs Eseosa Onabanmi disclosed that records show that women and girls are more prone to GBV. 

According to her, "Gender Based Violence are those criminal Offences perpetrated against individuals because of their gender. GBV victims and survivals are mostly women. Though some male gender are also victims of domestic violence from their wives, but records show that women and the girl child are worst hit and victims of GBV. 

Statistics from SARC Centre and other agencies show that of every 200 cases reported, more than 190 are women and girls".

She charged community members to say something when ever they hear strange noise in their neighbourhood and report to SARC, Ministry of Social Development and Gender Issues, the Police and even Ministry of Justice and the SARC Centre. 

An official from the Edo State Sexual Assault Referral Centre SARC,  Mrs. Uwaila Otumun pointed out that the SARC Centre is a one stop shop for victims of GBV with police, doctors, lawyers and social welfare officers adding that all services rendered to victims are free of charge.

Sharing experiences from the implementation of the project, the Executive Director of Smiles Africa Development Initiative, Mr. Purpose Osamwonyi Iserhienrhien pointed out that apart from public enlightenment on issues around gender based violence, the consortium of CSOs also embarked on skill acquisition and empowerment as it was discovered that lack of empowerment was one of the factors engendering GBV in the family unit. He noted that there are success stories as knowledge of the provisions of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) law is reducing cases of aboundonement as reported by some women in communities where the project was executed. 

"There are success stories about abandonment, GBV and neglect. We now use awareness of the provisions of the law to prevent abandonment by giving the men and women awareness of the VAPP law and materials to respond to victim. 

The Executive Director of Society for Family Initiative SAFI, Abraham Inosezilo Obode also shared some experiences in the implementation of the project and relayed some of the memorable quotes  by some beneficiaries of the empowerment and skill aquisition.

He however pointed out that efforts are being made to translate the VAPP Law into local languages and pidgin English to enable the message reach the grassroots.

The Executive Director of Christabel Otueroro Foundation, Mr. Onome Otueroro spoke in the same vain while narrating the success stories in the implementation of the project in some communities. 

Present at the stakeholders meeting were members  of various communities in Edo South Senatorial District, some faith based organisations, representatives of relevant government agencies and journalists.