A coalition of Non-Governmental Organizations, NGOs in Rivers State has called on government at all levels to redouble their efforts towards addressing all forms of gender based violence in the society.
The Executive Director of Ketetkache Women Development and Resource Center, Emem Okon dropped the hint as part of activities marking 16 days of activism in Rivers State.
Emen Okon, a human rights activist in his address noted that the theme for the 2019 celebration was unique, as the colour orange symbolizes hope and brighter future without violence against women. According to her, the theme underscores the need to put an end to the prevalent rape culture in various communities, which often occurs in conflict situations, at homes, schools, workplace, among others.
She explained that the ’16 Days Activism Against Gender Based Violence is an international campaign to end and challenge violence against women and girl child all over the world. According to her, the initiative started in 1991 by the first Women Global Leadership Institute at Rutgers University in the United States where over 180 countries and 6,000 Non-Governmental Organizations, (NGOs) were united to end the atrocity and Resolution 48/04 on 20 December, 1993. The initiative emphasized the urgent need for the universal application to women’s rights and principals with regard to equality, security, liberty, integrity and dignity of all human beings, while calling on all to end the impunity of sexual violence and rape, particularly against the under aged in the society.
At the commemoration, Kebetkache and other NGO bodies in Rivers State made the following demands: That, government at all levels should end culture of rape against women and girls in the state; that mothers should not interrupt legal proceedings and prosecution in the name of hiding the identity of their child who may be a victim of rape.
Similarly, the group called on the Rivers State House of Assembly to domesticate the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, 2015 signed into law by former President Goodluck Jonathan, calling on those whose rights may be violated to break the culture of silence and speak up whenever their rights are being abused.
The group used the occasion to condemn the killing of girls in some hotels in Port Harcourt by the serial killer in the past and appealed to the police to diligently prosecute the suspect to its logical end.
This year’s ’16 days of activism’ came under the theme- ‘Orange the World: Generation Equality Stand Against Rape. It is an annual event celebrated by the United Nations all over the world every 25 November to 10 December.
