NEWS

Alli Hakeem edits: UNFPA urges traditional, religious leaders to curb gender violence

UNFPA on Wednesday in Calabar urged traditional and religious leaders in Cross River to mobilize community actions to end Gender Based Violence (GBV).

Dr. Omolaso Omosehin, Head of its Cross River Office, made the appeal when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Omosehin noted that violence against women had been acknowledged worldwide as a violation of basic human rights.

He said in Nigeria, domestic violence was widely acknowledged to be of great concern not just from rights perspective, but also from economic and health perspectives.

“In 2018, the `Spotlight Initiative’ was launched in Nigeria by five UN agencies, including the UNFPA to support governments and Civil Society Organizations in Cross River, Ebonyi, Sokoto, Adamawa, Lagos and the FCT to end GBV.

“This is necessary because according to the 2018 Nigerian Demographic Health Survey, 46 out of every 100 women aged 15 years to 49 years in the South-South geopolitical zone experienced physical violence.

“This is higher than the national average of 31 women out of every 100 women.

“Also, 47 women out of every 100 women aged 15 years to 49 years in the South-South zone experienced spousal violence, which again is higher than the national average of 36 women out of every 100 women.

“Female Genital Mutilation is also prevalent in the South-South zone with 18 women out of every 100 women aged 15 years to 49 years having been mutilated; the national average is 20 women out of every 100 women,’’ Omosehin said.

He described the UNFPA as the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every child birth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.

Omosehin maintained that the agency remains committed to the 2030 targets of Sustainable Development Agenda.

He added that the UNFPA, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, hoped to ensure zero preventable maternal deaths, zero unmet needs for family planning and zero GBV and harmful practices against women and girls. (NAN)

Monday Ashibogwu

Monday Michaels Ashibogwu is Editor-In-Chief of QUICK NEWS AFRICA, one of Nigeria's leading online news service.

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