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0 The Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) has Partnered with European Union (EU) and United Nations (UN) Spotlight Initiative to end Violence against women and girls in the country.
The President of CCN, Most Rev. Benebo Fubara-Manuel, protestant ecumenical body in Nigeria, made this known in an event to kick off the enlightenment on ending violence against women and girls in Abuja on Wednesday.
In his statement, he said, “the CCN has agreed to work in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Education Fund (Unicef) on the role of faith-based organisation in ending violence against women and girls, focusing particularly on the role of the church.”
Fubara-Manuel emphasised on the need for multilateral efforts and support initiative to end the trend as church or faith organisations cannot do it alone.
In an interview with our reporter, the Chairman FCT, CCN, Rev. Adam Mutua said that gender violence was as old as humanity.
According to him, “Violence against women and girls is a world issue but engagement with our developmental partners and religious leaders, gender violence will be reduced to the barest minimum.”
He further said that they were engaging the rural communities especially in the Area Councils of the FCT to enlightening them on gender violence.
In his remark, Dr Uzoaku Williams, CCN and Unicef National Coordinator, End Violence against Women and Girls, pointed out culture of silence as major challenge in the fight against gender violence.
Williams explained that culture of silence was the stigmatisation that came with the abuse, violence, discrimination and profiling of the victim.
“We feel the best way to bring people to speak is giving them a safe space, that when they speak it will be believed without being stigmatised.
Campaign Pilot also reports that the first phase of the project will be in Sokoto, Adamawa, Lagos, Ebony, Cross River states and the FCT.
Estimates published by World Health Organisations(WHO) indicate that globally about 1 in 3 (30 per cent) of women worldwide have been subjected to either physical or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime.
