By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to observe the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence (GBV), the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria has called for concerted global action to build a safe and more inclusive world for women and girls.
Sundiata Post recalls that this event is an annual campaign that runs from the 25th of November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women), until the 10th of December (Human Rights Day).
The theme of this year’s campaign is “UNITE! Invest to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls,”
According to the statement signed by the Country Vice President/National President FIDA Nigeria, Amina Suzanah Agbaje, (Mrs.), this call underscores the critical need for state actors to raise awareness about gender-based violence, galvanize advocacy, share knowledge and innovations to end violence against women and girls while also challenging discriminatory attitudes and policies.
The statement reads in full:
The International Federation of Women Lawyers – FIDA Nigeria, lends its voice to the global call to create a world free from violence by joining the international community to observe the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence which is an annual campaign that runs from the 25th of November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women), until the 10th of December (Human Rights Day).
The 16 Days of Activism campaign serves as a powerful rallying cry to individuals and organizations worldwide to address, prevent, and eradicate one of the worlds most persistent violations of human rights, which is violence against women and girls. This campaign gained momentum in 2008 when the United Nations Secretary-General launched the UNITE by 2030 campaign, running parallel to the 16 Days of Activism.
The Campaign theme for 2023, UNITE! Invest to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls, is a profound call for action to end violence against women and girls which has been an endemic and continuous scourge. This call underscores the critical need for state actors to raise awareness about gender-based violence, galvanize advocacy, share knowledge and innovations to end violence against women and girls while also challenging discriminatory attitudes and policies.
This years UNITE campaign theme aligns with the 2024 theme of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective.
As champions for the protection of women rights, FIDA Nigeria has from time immemorial leveraged its legal expertise and global advocacy fora to advocate for these rights through the prevention and mitigation of incidences of violence against women and girls. This is achieved using widespread advocacy and legal framework to push for reforms that strengthen protection against gender-based violence. Sadly, despite the plethora of laws in existence to combat violence against women and girls, weak enforcement and discriminatory social norms remain significant hindrances to their effectiveness.
FIDAs impact extends to grassroot communities through a significant increase in the number of State Branches that carry out legal clinics, sensitization and outreach programs to foster awareness, educate on rights and dismantle stigmas associated with gender-based violence. Survivors of gender-based violence are assured of getting justice through free legal assistance and the necessary empowerment to reconstruct their lives.
FIDA Nigeria remains steadfast in its commitment to prevent violence against women and girls and calls on Government, the Private sector, Civil society organizations, the Media and indeed all stakeholders to amplify their commitments and investments for improved laws and violence prevention. Gender based violence is a global problem that requires concerted global action! We need to all join hands to build a safe and more inclusive world for women and girls.
Let us therefore UNITE and invest in a future for women and girls that is completely free from the grim scourge of gender-based violence!
Signed
Amina Suzanah Agbaje, (Mrs.)
Country Vice President/National President
FIDA Nigeria
