A group, Echoes of Women in Africa (ECOWA), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has called for more funding of activities geared toward stemming Gender Based Violence (GBV).
The Founder, Louisa Eikhomun-Agbonkhese, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Benin.
She said that inadequate funding was negatively affecting the crusade against ending violence against women and girls, especially at the grassroots in the country.
Eikhomun-Agbonkhese said that a robust financing package was needed to sustain the provision of psychosocial, medical, legal, temporary shelter as well as livelihood support for survivors of GBV.
“Funding to carry out GBV activities is striking and this is affecting the services Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) can render.
“For instance, getting survivors of such violence to the police station or for medical evaluation is a challenge due to lack of funding.
“Many of these victims are vulnerable and indigent and cannot afford money for logistics, medical care or transportation to relevant support agencies.’’
The founder also called for more stakeholders’ involvement in the fight against violence, especially against women and girls.
“Stemming GBV requires a stakeholder approach, the government is a major actor and the relevant agencies.
“CSOs, religious bodies, media, as well as the community must continue to work as a team.
“We are currently mobilising men to speak against GBV, especially against women and girls, because you cannot end such violence without men coming together to speak to other men to stop the criminal act.’’
Eikhomun-Agbonkhese, however, commended the Edo government for being in the forefront in the mitigation of such act, especially through the signing of the reviewed Violence Against Persons Prohibition Bill into law. (NAN)
