Afrigather The PUNCH Media Basis says it’s organising a webinar on gender-based violence in commemoration of the 2023 Worldwide Day for the Elimination of Violence In opposition to Ladies.
The webinar, tagged ‘Gender-Primarily based Violence in Nigeria: The What, Why, and Means Ahead,’ might be held on Thursday, December 7, at 11 am.
In accordance with PMF, the webinar is towards the backdrop of an alarming and up to date incident reported by The PUNCH on October 25, the place Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos Sexual Offences and Home Violence Court docket convicted the founding father of Optimum Most cancers Basis, Dr Femi Olaleye, for defiling his spouse’s 16-year-old niece.
With this “the crucial to deal with violence towards ladies comes into sharper focus,” an announcement by PMF stated on Monday, including that the case was not an remoted incident however moderately emblematic of a pervasive difficulty that calls for pressing consideration.
“The choose’s verdict, affirming the costs of defilement and sexual assault by penetration, underscores the cruel actuality confronted by many ladies and ladies in Nigeria,” it added.
“Violence towards ladies stays a deeply entrenched and multifaceted problem, transcending geographical, cultural, and socio-economic boundaries. The United Nations studies that one in three ladies globally experiences bodily or sexual violence in her lifetime, making it a prevalent and pressing difficulty that calls for concerted motion.
“The urgency to deal with violence towards ladies and ladies as a worldwide emergency has been underscored by a United Nations launch (UNiTE Marketing campaign, 2022). This launch confirms that these circumstances, thought-about essentially the most pervasive human rights violations, lengthen past nationwide borders, requiring heightened consideration and decisive motion from governments, civil society organisations, growth actors, and all stakeholders.
“The pervasive nature of violence towards ladies and ladies manifests in varied types, together with rape, battering, psychological abuse, baby sexual abuse, pressured marriage, and human trafficking. These violations not solely compromise the well-being of particular person survivors but additionally pose a big problem to the achievement of Sustainable Growth Targets #3 and #5 by 2030. The intersectionality of violence towards ladies with problems with psychological, sexual, and reproductive well being additional compounds the urgency of addressing this difficulty,” the inspiration famous.
Stakeholders, together with authorities officers, civil society organisations, survivors of gender-based violence, and the media, will focus on vital points that border on violence towards ladies and ladies in Nigeria to eliminate the menace, the assertion additional said.
It highlighted the goals of the occasion to incorporate: elevating consciousness and understanding, empowering survivors/victims, influencing optimistic media reporting, enhancing authorized information and entry to justice, and difficult gender discriminatory norms.
The occasion, which might be moderated by the Head of Programmes, PUNCH Movies, PUNCH Nigeria Restricted, Melony Ishola, will function audio system and panelists from varied backgrounds, together with psychological well being establishments, gender advocacy teams, and the Nigeria Police Drive, amongst others.
