Gender-based violence (GBV) is one of Nigeria’s most heated conversations lately with the recent spike in recorded incidences, indicating the urgent need for laws to be reviewed and more stringent measures to be put in place to protect women and girls.
The Programme Manager of YIAGA Africa, Cynthia Mbamalu, a dedicated human and gender rights advocate, youth pro-activist and development practitioner, took to her Facebook page to call for justice for the victims of GBV. She wrote, ‘Declare a #StateOfEmergencyGBV! We want a safe Nigeria for women and girls! Stop raping our children! Rape is a crime, rapists are criminals. Prosecute and convict rapists! Stop the violence against women!’
Her post was met with lots of support and calls for better policies and laws. One of her followers, Ekene Stanislaus Alokwem, commented, ‘[I a]m pleased with your effort to build a better society. Rape of men and women [has] become a crime that demands a strict law and should have an effective and efficient means of investigation’.
In another post, Cynthia wrote, ‘The state has failed in protecting women and girls. Rape persists because rapist walks free. How many more do we have to lose? When will justice take its course? Violence against women and girls is becoming an epidemic that must be stopped. We are losing our daughters and sisters!’
The recently reported case of a 100-level student of the University of Benin, Uwavera Omozuwa, who was raped and murdered, has moved various civil society groups and individuals to protest and call for better laws and policies, charging security operatives across the country to up their performance.
Source: Facebook
Photo source: Facebook
