In a bid to prevent violence against women and promote equal rights for everyone, stakeholders in Ekiti State have moved to charge all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the State Government to develop Gender Policies before the third quarter (Q3) of 2024.
This was communicated by the stakeholders in a workshop organized by the Ekiti State Ministry of Health & Human Services on Tuesday, 16th of April, 2024 at the State capital, Ado-Ekiti.
The workshop was held as part of activities of the Nigeria COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Project (N-COPREP); a World Bank-assisted project to support the State in the prevention, detection, and response to threats posed by COVID-19.
Drawing key stakeholders from strategic MDAs in the State and across the 16 Local Government Areas, the workshop had the Head of the Gender Unit, Office of the First Lady, Mrs Shirley Atane, take the participants through the Legal Framework on Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
A communique drafted by the Stakeholders at the workshop noted that all MDAs should develop their Gender policies before Q3 of this year in response to the GBV Management Committee (GBVMC).
Among the listed items on the communique are: there should be more community engagement at the grassroots level, whilst the gender officers at the LGAs should utilize the State’s referral pathway and information flowcharts as contained in the standard operating procedure.
Through this communique, healthcare workers were also enjoined to actively track Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and circumcision of potential victims during clinic visits by pregnant clients.
Dr Olumuyiwa Ariyo, an Infectious Disease specialist and Infection Prevention Control (IPC) Pillar Lead of the N-CoPREP canvassed for gender mainstreaming as a means to end inequality in our society and halt every form of gender-based violence.
“Gender-based issues should be critically looked into from both angles and not leaving a particular gender out of the conversation. When we have a society where young girls and women are catered to and considered whilst leaving the boys and men out, we might in turn have a very porous society filled with gender-based violence, but mainstreaming gender will put an end to the issues relating to GBV,” Ariyo noted.
Twelve years ago, the bill prohibiting GBV issues in the State was signed into law by erstwhile Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, and ever since, perpetrators of GBV have been tried according to law.
