From Idu Jude, Abuja
As the world commemorates the International day for the elimination of violence against women and People with Disabilities (PWDs), the Federal Government of Nigeria and other relevant agencies has been tasked on the urgent need to protect these categories of people at all times.
A non-governmental organization under the aegis of Electoral hub, in a press statement signed by its Director Princess Hamman-Obels, stated that in as much as people constitute part of the citizenry that their rights must be protected and should enjoy special protections especially when performing Electoral duties.
The group, however, observed, that while November 25th, 2023 has been globally reserved as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The day also marks the onset of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (November 25th to December 10th) for the year 2023.
It said that the theme for 2023, “UNiTE! Invest to Prevent Violence Against Women & Girls,” underscores the need for resources to be deployed toward the prevention of violence against women and girls. This need it said further heightened by the disturbing statistics of cases of violence against women and girls globally and in Nigeria.
On the global scene, an estimated 736 million women have experienced physical or sexual intimate partner violence. In Nigeria, the Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey has shown that 31% of women between the ages of 15 and 49 have experienced violence. This poses a major cause for concern in a world marked by growing awareness of the role of women in development.
The statement further read in parts, “in addition to this, our targeted project at The Electoral Hub, Monitoring Violence Against Women and PWDs in Elections in Nigeria, revealed that women face both physical and structural violence in Nigerian political and electoral contexts. This further justifies the need for action and advocacy toward addressing violence against women in Nigeria. Given observed issues, the need for action, and this year’s theme, we call on all domestic and international stakeholders to act concertedly towards investing in preventing violence against women.
“We, therefore, call on state authorities including security agencies, the legislature, judiciary and executive to deploy human and material resources towards preventing all forms and manifestations of violence against women. We also implore relevant authorities to ensure that perpetrators of violence against women are adequately punished.
“we call on state authorities including security agencies, the legislature, judiciary and executive to deploy human and material resources towards preventing all forms and manifestations of violence against women and girls. We also implore relevant authorities to ensure that perpetrators of violence against women and girls are adequately punished.
” In commemoration of this significant dates, the Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD) and its electoral arm, The Electoral Hub, join the global community in recognizing the critical significance of these dates.
“The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women dovetails with the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence to serve as a reminder that violence against women is a pervasive challenge globally, requiring concerted action from all stakeholders.”