Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Edema Irom, revealed in Calabar on Saturday that Cross River has documented 586 instances of gender-based violence from January to October. Speaking at a news conference inaugurating the 16 days of activism against GBV, she emphasized that this figure only represents officially reported cases.
Mrs. Irom detailed ongoing efforts, indicating that her ministry is actively establishing structures across the state’s 18 local government areas in collaboration with NGOs. The aim is to streamline the reporting process for GBV cases in real-time, effectively addressing this pressing issue. Highlighting their commitment, she mentioned the formation of a Technical Working Group, comprising ministry representatives and NGO members, dedicated to finding comprehensive solutions to combat gender-based violence.
“The TWG meets quarterly to review efforts put in place to address the issue,” she said.
She explained that the 16-day activism aimed at creating awareness of the menace and honouring those who fought and paid the ultimate price to end violence against women and girls the world over.
“The 16 Days of Activism is an annual event which begins on November 25 and ends on December 10.
“It was set aside by the UN to commemorate the brutal murder of 16 women from the Dominican Republic who were killed for their activism against gender-based violence.
“The activism also commemorates the World Day for HIV prevention on Dec. 1; the International Day for Persons with Disability on December 3 and the International Human Rights Day which holds on December 10,” she said.
In his remarks, Mr Remi Ajuga of the National Human Rights Commission noted that gender-based violence constituted a major plank among issues handled by the Commission.
“With the activism which begins today, we have started the journey to end the menace,’’ Ajuga said.
