From Donald Aja-Eze, Enugu
Some government agencies and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) staged a walk against “Femicide and Gender-Based Violence” in Enugu on Saturday as part of activities marking International Women’s Day (IWD) in the state.
Among the organisations that participated in the programme were the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Amnesty International, the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), the League of Women Voters of Nigeria (NILOWV), and the Civil Society Network on Migration and Development (CSOnetMADE).
The large crowd, predominantly composed of young women, took off from the premises of the Enugu State House of Assembly, where talks were given on issues affecting women. Speakers stated that femicide was a crime that should be eradicated, alongside gender-based violence. They also urged that women should be empowered in many ways and not relegated.
Mrs Judith Olayi, who represented the Zonal Commander of NAPTIP Enugu, Sam Offia, stated that their mandate was to fight human trafficking and reduce it to the barest minimum. She highlighted that the agency had adopted five strategic approaches in the fight against women trafficking, which include: “prevention, protection, prosecution, policy and partnership.”
The Chairperson of the League of Women Voters of Nigeria (NILOWV) Enugu State, Sylvia Abana, said that their core message was to see women have equal participation in the decision-making process and also hold political positions in Nigeria. She said that a lot of gender-based violence was experienced by women because of a lack of social amenities such as education, skills, and so on. She urged that women should be given empowerment and opportunities to participate in the decision-making process of Nigeria.
Another speaker, Mrs Nnenna Anozie, a legal practitioner and the Deputy Director of the African Women Lawyers Association, Enugu State, encouraged women to build their capacity themselves. Anozie also said that resources had been deployed to help and empower women by their organisation and other governmental and non-governmental organisations with their partners.