Foundation sensitises Taraba residents to dangers of GBV

The Foundation for Peace, Hope and Conflict Management (FPHCM) on Monday began sensitisation of residents of Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba to the dangers of Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

Prof. Anthony Bature, the Executive Director of the foundation, told participants at the event that GBV was increasing in Taraba and other Northast states due to the lingering crisis and insurgency.

Bature identified various forms of GBV as: intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual assault, female genital mutilation, sexual exploitation and abuse, child abuse, female or ritual infanticide and child marriage.

“It is sad that GBV crisis has long been in existence in Nigeria with about 30 per cent of women and girls aged 15 to 49 experiencing one form of violence or the other.

“Three  out  of 10 women experience physical abuse before the age of 15.

“GBV is an oppressive form of gender inequality posing a fundamental barrier to the equal participation of women and men in social, economic and political spheres,’’ he said.

Mrs Leah Solomon, Chief Executive Officer of Great Gender Grassroot Foundation (G3F), said that early marriage meant early fatherhood and motherhood.

Solomon said that this comes with added pressure to provide for a family, cutting short education and job opportunities.

She made the remark in a paper titled “Early Child Marriage and Genital Mutilation as a form of GBV’’

Reports state that participants at the event include: politicians, community-based organisations, Civil society organizations (CSOs), Catholic Youth of Nigeria, students, women groups and media.