By Cajetan Mmuta
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said on Wednesday that about 80 percent of complaints on human rights abuses in Anambra State are gender-based violence.
Coordinator of the NHRC in the State, Mrs. Nkechi Ugwuanyi, disclosed this during the news conference to announce the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence held in Awka the state capital.
She frowned that the Commission had continued to record an increasing number of gender-based violence cases despite deliberate efforts to ensure the menace was reduced.
Mrs. Ugwuanyi listed poverty, illiteracy, ignorance of existing laws, basic fundamental human rights, under-reportage, cultural issues, and judicial processes as some of the factors giving rise to gender-based violence.
The 16 Days activism is an international campaign to challenge violence against women and girls, organized every year from November 25, as part of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to Dec.10, International Human Rights Day.
The state coordinator of the commission said, “80 percent of the cases we receive revolves around gender-based violence. Violence perpetrated on grounds of gender discrimination.
“These cases cut across other thematic areas of human rights issues including those of children, women, and widows.
“Since our establishment in the state 9 years ago, we have continued to record a high number of cases, instead of reducing, despite our efforts. But we’ve been toiling day and night to ensure the menace is reduced.
According to the body, “Many factors encourage the violation of women as well as women/girls being victims of such acts. Some of them are poverty, illiteracy, ignorance of existing laws and basic fundamental human rights of perpetrators, under-reportage which can be linked to cultural issues, lack of sensitization, judicial process.”
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“Other factors include lack of facts to facilitate prosecution, lack of interest of victims at the last minute, lack of funds and compliance to basic fundamental rules.”
She also stated that the 16 Days activism to be carried out in collaboration with civil society organizations would feature roadshow, advocacy visits to traditional and religious leaders.
“From tomorrow, we will start taking the campaign on violence against women and girls and the need to respect human rights to the communities and to schools.
“We urge the media to help publicize these problems so that the government and other stakeholders can do the needful curb the trend against violence against women and girls,” she said.
