Wife of Abia Governor, Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu, has urged the media to give priority to issues of gender based violence in their reportage.
Ikpeazu made the call while briefing journalists in Umuahia on Tuesday on the activities marking “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence”.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 16 Days of Activism is an international campaign to challenge violence against women and girls.
Ikpeazu, who described violence against women and girls as “a problem of pandemic proportions,” urged the media to join in the struggle to address it.
“We need to put out issues of Gender Based Violence in the public space so that it would be seen in the right perspective.
“In addition, the Gender Based Violence demands responsible reportage.
“We need to tell stories of abuse correctly and appropriately,” she said.
According to Ikpeazu, at least one out of every three women around the world had been beaten, coerced into sex or mutilated.
“The forms of violence against women and girls include rape, domestic violence, sexual harassment, female genital mutilation, dowry-related abuse, marriage by abduction, forced marriage and child marriage,” she said.
Ikpeazu said that the 2019 theme, “Generation Equality” suggested that men and women had come together to raise consciousness to end all forms of gender-based violence.
She commended the Abia House of Assembly for giving accelerated hearing to the bill on Violence Against Persons Prohibition, with a view to giving it a speedy passage.
“This shows that the House of Assembly is committed to the protection of the lives and rights of the people of Abia State and we, as a coalition, will continue to throw our unreserved support behind these legislative processes and our legislators,” Ikpeazu said.
The governor’s wife, who is also the President of Vicar Hope Foundation, announced that her foundation had created a Gender-Based Violence Response Desk to complement efforts by partners and support groups.
In her contribution, Mrs Amala Ukachi, the Abia Commissioner for Women Affairs said that the ministry was committed to curbing all forms of gender-based violence.
