Ms Bridget Anyafulu, the Alternative Chairperson of the Delta State Gender Violence-Based Referral Team, has identified gender based violence as a major factor affecting development in Nigeria.
Anyafulu said this on Tuesday when she led members of the team on a courtesy visit to Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Asaba.
She said: “Gender-based violence is something the present administration has frowned at because it has been identified as a major factor affecting development in the country.
” For us as a nation and a state to move forward in terms of development, every citizen should work hard to put an end to gender-based violence”.
She recalled that the Team, affiliated to the Office of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, was inaugurated on March 2018.
The team leader said before the inauguration, Delta had an existing network.
Anyafulu noted that about 70 per cent gender-based violence were carried out by men and 30 per cent by women.
She said that gender-based violence was not just an issue of definition, but also wife battering and abuse of the child or ward.
“These are some of the issues that brought us here and as partners, we want to also let the media know that it is not just the job of the team alone, but that of every one.
“This visit is also to ensure on how we can rob minds and proffer solution to the issues of gender based violence.”
“If the state and the nation have to move progressively, the media, security agencies among others have roles to play in fighting gender-based violence“ she said.
Anyafulu, therefore, called for partnership with the NTA and other media organisations in fighting gender-based violence and all other forms of violence in the society.
Responding, the General Manager, NTA Asaba, Mr Richard Yaboh, assured the team of the of the organisation’s support, adding that NTA has been in the forefront of promoting gender-based violence.
He noted that the media had vital role to play in advocating against gender based violence in the country in order to achieve better results.
“We in NTA will never shy away from our responsibilities, even though we know that things are not the same way they used to be.
“Now the structure of NTA as its stands now shows that NTA is fully commercialized, but not minding, this we will not shy away from our social responsibilities.
“Taking the advocacy to schools or everywhere will not be enough except we make it so strong, using the media as the basis and the foundation for promoting it.
“Our society is what it is, today, because we as parents and caregivers have failed in our responsibilities, even the government. We are not performing our roles as we ought to do,” Yaboh said.
The General Manager said a television series programme would be needed in rectifying gender-based violence and similar challenges beyond advocacy.
He said enhanced efforts to check gender-based issues became necessary because stories on rape cases, child abuse among others were on increase on daily basis and “this is getting out of control.”
Yaboh suggested talk show programme that would infuse some dramatic elements into it as part of efforts to check gender-based violence.
“We are ready to partner with the state government in creating programmes, through television series, where we can explore some of these issues; causes and how we can proffer solutions to them.
“But we cannot do this alone; we would need support from the state government.” (NAN)
