GBV: Senior citizens call for an end to violence against women, HTP

Women

By Ikenna Osuoha
Abuja, March 14, 2020 (NAN) Ms May Ikokwu, the Secretary General, Coalition of Societies for the Rights of Old People in Nigeria (COSROPIN) on Saturday called for immediate end to all forms of violence and Harmful Traditional Practices (HTP) against women and girls in Nigeria.

Ikokwu, who is also the Chief Executive Officer, Save Our Heritage Initiative (SOHI), made the call in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

She said it was time to discard obnoxious and harmful traditional practices like Female Genital Mutilation (FMG) and others, targeted at the girl-child.

She described violence against women and children as acts of rascality that required urgent and collective action to address.

She said “let us all rally support for relevant stakeholders to stem the tide of violence against women in Nigeria.”

She urged Nigerians, especially older people and parents, to begin to embrace the African value for women which had over the years created safe spaces for mothers to live peacefully and freely without any harassment.

The chief executive reiterated the imperatives of teaching children cultural values in schools aimed at inculcating respect and love for humanity in them.

According to her, no person with respect for another will violate others.

Ikokwu, who described women as mothers of nations, said “women and girls deserved every dignity and protection instead of violation.”

She called for zero Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and other practices targeted at the girl-child for a greater and better Nigeria where women would be proud to call theirs.

“We must continue to tell our children, especially the boys, to always respect their female counterparts.

“The pathetic part is that there are much secrecy and cover up of violence against women and regrettably older women are also being violated.” (NAN)

IMO/HA

Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu