A group under the aegis of Women's Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA) has called for concerted efforts from policy makers, authorities and other stakeholders to tackle the issue of domestic violence.
WRAPA also calls for support for the survivors of such dastardly act, saying that "it is high time to move from rhetoric to action".
The called was made in Jos the Plateau State capital during its Technical Session on Contextual Challenges and Existing Opportunities for Survivors of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).
The session was under the VAWG project, Faith and Culture Leaders Supporting VAWG Accountability, and it was supported by Ford Foundation.
In its concept paper, WRAPA said with communities deeply rooted in harmful patriarchal social, cultural, traditional and religious norms enabling VAWG, the crisis is further elevated by the COVID-19 pandemic due to pre-existing inequities and vulnerabilities.
These groups, it said, include women and girls living with disabilities, refugees and internally displaced persons, and informal workers, adding that the technical session will harness evidence based demands for policy and legal VAWG reforms and protection.
In her presentation, Prof.Benedicta Daudu said it is clear that violence against women is a common problem in Nigerian and yet, awareness of the extent and effects are not well known due to cultural constraints informed by gender inequality, privacy of intimate relationships and lack of access to justice for victims.
She said to gauge the prevalence of the phenomenon and end the cycle of abuse, it is important to involve criminal justice systems to punish the perpetrators, imploring that future studies and policy developments have the responsibility of putting an end to it.
"Also, community enlightenment is paramount in creating awareness of the ills on violence against women on individuals, family and community.
"Since numerous studies have shown that women and girls are major victims of domestic/interpersonal violence, the same recognition, sympathy, support, and services are necessary for both parties to curb the pervasiveness of the violence in Nigeria. The time to act is now," she stressed.
By Pwanagba Agabus, Jos
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