ESLF FOUNDER CALLS FOR STERN FIGHT AGAINST SGBV AT 2ND BENUE ANTI-SGBV MEETING.
Founder, Eunice Spring of Life Foundation (ESLF) and First Lady of Benue State, Dr. Eunice Ortom, has charged participants to step up support, protect and speak for survivors and victims of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) who are usually too vulnerable to either speak or fight for themselves.
Dr. Ortom who gave this charge at the second Benue State Stakeholders’ Meeting on Gender Based Violence (GBV) organised by her office, pointed out that everyone has been affected in one form or the other and should, therefore, consider themselves as stakeholders in the anti-GBV fight which requires that every hand be on deck to defeat the menace.
She said allowing SGBV to linger amounts to a tacit acceptance of the scourge as a societal norm and stressed that the stakeholders meeting on GBV was a bold condemnation of GBV and its culprits.
The ESLF Founder held that women deserve to live and achieve their full potentials in life in a safe and peaceful environment devoid of any form of violence.
While expressing delight that people had started taking deliberate steps to curb GBV, she added that the meeting should spur everyone to step up advocacy, counselling and psychosocial support for survivors.
The passionate anti-GBV crusader gave the cheery information of efforts by the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and the Executive Director of Jireh Doo Foundation (JDF), Josephine Habba, to provide safe spaces or shelter for GBV survivors before the end of next year.
Several organisations made presentations on GBV including ESLF, JDF, Medical Women Association of Nigeria (M-WAN), International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), the Nigeria Police and National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
NAPTIP had assured that it remains relentless in pursuing justice for late Ochanya Ogbanje – the 13-year-old girl who died due to complications from alleged serial rape by her “guardian” and polytechnic lecturer, Andrew Ogbuja and his son Victor Ogbuja.
Others organisations include Benue Network of Non-Governmental Organisation (BENGONET), Civil Societies Organisation Benue (CSO-B), National Council for Women (NCWS).
Other key stakeholders at the Day-1 of the event were wife of the Deputy Governor, Justice Mary Abounu and wife of Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly.
A similar stakeholders’ meeting on GBV had held last year also sponsored by the Office of the Wife of the Benue State Governor underscoring the unflinching commitment of the ESLF Founder to curbing the menace of GBV Benue State and beyond.
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