The Governors’ Wives Forum has demanded an end to all gender-based violence across the country.
The forum’s chairperson, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, made the call at the End Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Nigeria summit, organised by the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS) in collaboration with Ford Foundation in Abuja.
“We should do everything legally possible to end gender-based violence in the country. Our law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders should redouble their efforts to see the end of violence against women. By ending violence against women, our society will know peace and develop”, Mrs Fayemi said.
The Ekiti State First Lady who was flanked by First Ladies of Edo, Abia and Niger, urged states to enact laws against GBV.
She said culture and religion shouldn’t be taken as a cover to penetrate violence against women.
In her address, First Lady of Edo, Mrs Becky Obaseki, said she had inaugurated a House-to-House awareness campaign against sexual-based violence in the state.
Mrs Obaseki said the state had reduced the incidence of rape and other violence against women through its campaign and advocacy.
The First Lady of Niger State, Dr Amina Abubakar Sani Bello said the state had made a law against GBV and had stepped up a campaign to end it.
Amina said with the support of law enforcement agencies a number of successes had been recorded in the fight against violence against women.
On her part, the Abia State First Lady, Dr Nkechi Ikpeazu said the agency protecting the rights of women in the state had collaborated with the state judiciary to accelerate all suits instituted against all those who had violated the rights of women.