Raphael Ede
Hundreds of women and men in Enugu State participated in a road walk to raise awareness and protest against gender-based violence against women and girls.
The event, held on Saturday, drew participants from various Christian and Muslim organisations, and featured a march through the busy Abakpa-Texaco area, with placards bearing messages such as: ‘There’s no excuse for violence;’ ‘Unite to end violence against women and girls;’ ‘Say no to rape;’ ‘Protect women’s rights;’ ‘Stop violence against women and girls;’ ‘Promote gender equality;’ ‘Say no to female genital mutilation;’ ‘Advocate for healthy relationships;’ ‘Empower women,’ among others.
The participants, dressed in various attire, chanted songs against sexual and gender-based violence, emphasising the need to end these abuses and promote a culture of respect and equality.
Addressing journalists shortly after the road walk, the chairperson of the Enugu State chapter of the Women Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Mrs Caroline Avah, advised women to start speaking out and break the culture of silence against gender-based violence in their homes and locality.
Tagged “#NoExcuse, Unite To End Violence Against Women and Girls,’ Mrs Avah said the road walk was part of the 16-day activism against gender based violence, powered by WOWICAN and sponsored by the United Nations Women and Ford Foundation.
She said, “We are in the 16-day activism which started on November 25, 2024, and will be ending on December 10th. These days were mapped out by the United Nations to create awareness and sensitize the populace on gender-based violence, especially against women and girls. So, it is a fight that is continuous. It is not about a physical fight, but it is a subtle fight, we will subtly win the hearts of everyone, that there should be equality.
“This equality is not about taking men’s rights, it is about being side-by-side, we will move on, we will match on and together we will get what we want. But when it is do-or-die affairs, we can’t get it. So what we are saying is that especially these days that we have so much violence against women and girls. It is not that we don’t have violence against men, but that of women and girls is on the increase and we want it to stop.
“We have just taken a walk around this area – Texaco and its environs to sensitize the populace that we should stop gender-based violence – violence against women. We should end rape, stop rape, stop defilement. We should stop female genital mutilation, and human trafficking among others.
“This time we are moving out, we are taking it to the leaders not just the people on the streets. We also go for advocacy, we take it to schools, we take it to everyone, but before, we used to do it maybe a church affair. Because we are the women’s wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria, we are doing it as a Christian thing, but you can see Muslim women today, we are now side-by-side.
“We now know that it is not a Christian thing and it is not a Muslim thing. It is not a hidden thing, it is all encompassing and together we will win the fight. It is not going to stop after this 16 days of activism is a continuous process.”
Programme facilitator, Nnenna Anozie, identified factors contributing to violence against women, including patriarchy, illiteracy, and social norms.
Anozie emphasised that if left unchecked, these factors can lead to fear, anxiety, and decreased productivity, highlighting the importance of addressing them to create a safer and more supportive environment for women and girls.
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