By Lucy Osuizigbo-Okechukwu
There is an upsurge of gender-based-violence in Anambra, the Gender Perspective and Social Development Centre (GPSDC), an NGO, lamented in Awka on Tuesday
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It enjoined Gov. Chukwuma Soludo to establish a taskforce to tackle the menace as it was going out of hand.
“Violence and harmful practices against women and girls happen every day in Anambra, and most times they are not reported because there is no state-owned taskforce handling such cases.
“States like Lagos, Delta, Enugu and others have established taskforce to address gender-based violence. We do not have such in Anambra, Mrs Eucharia Anekwe, GPSDC’s Executive Director, said.
She made the appeal at a consultative meeting with Nwayibuife Women Advocacy Team and law enforcement partners on gender-based violence.
“We are appealing to Gov. Soludo to replicate the taskforce as found in other states in Anambra.
“The taskforce will map out compensation for victims in terms of judicial and medical intervention as well as shelter and rehabilitation.
“The state government should ensure that there is a budgetary allocation to help the taskforce to operate optimally,’’ she said.
The meeting was supported by the Nigerian Women Trust Fund and the Ford Foundation.
Anekwe lamented that gender-based-violence kept spiralling in Anambra in spite of efforts to stem the tide.
She said that the taskforce would also work with law enforcement agencies to ensure quick access to justice in Gender-Based-Violence cases.
She said it would be responsible for organising massive sensitisation against GBV and create awareness of the Violence against Persons Prohibition Law (VAPP)
According to her, the VAPP Law will give more confidence to survivors to report cases of abuse.
In his remarks, Dr Ego Uzozie, former Commissioner for Social Welfare, Children and Women’s Affairs in Anambra, suggested advocacy visits to relevant authorities. (NAN)
