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GOVERNOR David Umahi of Ebonyi State, Tuesday stated that the age-long obnoxious practice of Female Genital Mutilation and cutting had drastically reduced in different parts of the State.
He said the reduction was possible through various policy implementation and interventions of the State Government.
Umahi stated this during the official launch of the Ebonyi State Gender-Based Violence Taskforce and the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with Law Enforcement Agencies, Ministries of Justice and Women Affairs and the State Gender-Based Violence Taskforce Team at Akanu Ibiam International Conference Centre, Abakaliki.
Represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Chief Mrs Deborah Chinwe Okah, the Governor who frowned at Gender-Based Violence against women further described GBV as “the most pervasive human rights violations in Nigeria.”
“Gender-Based Violence is the most pervasive human rights violation in Nigeria and FGM as a form of GBV is widely practised in southern Nigeria with Ebonyi State having the second-highest number after Ekiti State.
“But the scourge was drastically reduced through the timely intervention of her Excellency Chief Mrs Rachal Ogbonnaya Umahi with the support of UNFPA by publicly declaring against the practices of the State.”
In her remarks, the Coordinator of the GBV task force in Ebony State, Barr Faith Vincent Nwanchor expressed the readiness of the task force team to ensure that those suspected to be involved in the practice of GBV were brought to book against All odds.
According to her, the launch of the Ebonyi State Gender-Based Violence Taskforce had emboldened the members to be more proactive towards stamping out violence against women in different parts of the State.
“We are happy that all our implementing partners are here. I want to appreciate every one of us.”
The programme is powered by Economic and Social Empowerment of Rural Communities, ESERC, with support from the EU-UN spotlight initiative and Ministry of Women Affairs Development and other implementing partners.
