From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
Edema Irom, the Cross River State Commissioner for Women Affairs says this year’s Carnival Calabar has helped to draw attention to gender-based violence, child rights and human rights abuses suffered by vulnerable women and children in the society.
She also disclosed that Orange Band, one of the non competing bands in the Carnival Calabar was floated to explore the global stage and draw attention to these issues.
“Those of us within the human rights and campaigns against gender-based violence corridor needed a global venue to amplify our clarion calls for collective action against the various dehumanizing treatments being meted out to vulnerable children, women and even the men under the guise of culture and religion.
“Carnival Calabar came in handy as an ample avenue to galvanize the needed support against these vices to achieve optimum impact”, she said.
She also emphasized that the present administration is extremely committed toward tackling gender-based violence, dehumanizing practices targeted against women and children under the guise of culture and religion.
James Ibor, a human rights lawyer said the Carnival had proven to be a vital platform in disseminating human rights messages given the mammoth crowd of spectators and millions of television viewers watching across the globe.
He applauded the robust collaboration among critical stakeholders noting that such posture was imperative to guarantee optimum results.