The South Sahara Social Development Organisation (SSDO), a NGO, has sensitized over 200 married women in Amankwo Eke community in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State on standing for their rights and against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
The sensitization was carried out on Saturday, under the NGO’s Focused project called Sister Guardian Initiative (SGI) in commemoration of the United Nations annual global campaign called 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the campaign starts from Nov. 25, which is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, to Dec. 10, which is International Human Rights Day.
The women, who were also introduced to an interest-free credit scheme, were encouraged to work as a team and be their sister’s keeper to kick out Sexual and Gender-Based Violence from their community.
Mrs Blessing Uchendu, SSDO’s Gender and Protection Program Lead, said the sensitization was to correct some ills in the society.
According to her, the Sister Guardian Initiative is aimed at assisting women suffering abuse to report such cases to appropriate authorities.
She explained that any rights violation, be it physical, economical, harmful traditional practice or emotional, should be reported for the issue to be handled in the best professional manner by trained SGI executives in their community.
She said “we are always here training and enlightening women on the need to speak out against SGBV in any form and the need for them to pick up courage to deal with every case of gender abuse.
“The SGI executives deliver by giving mediation and counseling services, referral to the police or health centers and provision of safe houses, among others.
“We are also involving men in the fight against SGBV to make it a holistic family affair to properly deal with it.”
She said that the NGO had inaugurated a 10-women executive to champion the fight against SGBV in Amankwo Eke community in Udi LGA.
“SSDO work with the executives in areas were they encounter difficulty. We do not want maltreatment of women in our communities any longer,” she said.
On empowerment for the women, SSDO introduced the Jacob’s Well Project to enable those doing something (like petty trade) to have access to soft loans to expand their businesses and contribute to their families’ welfare and wellbeing.
Mrs Stella Ani, the Coordinator of the Jacob’s Well Project, said that empowering women would make their families financially stable, and help to reduce all forms of abuse against women.
According to Ani, being financially independent will help women start doing something and also contribute to the family, while their value, worth and respect will increase as well.
“This will go a long way in reducing financial stress and pressure on the family, which is the remote cause of violence and disagreements at home,” she said.
Mrs Geraldine Uzor, the President of Catholic Women’s Organisation of St. Paul Catholic Church, Eke, thanked SSDO for the sensitization and enlightenment.
Uzor said women in the community had resolved to work together and with SSDO to stand up for their rights and stop all forms intimidation against fellow women.
“We encourage our women and sisters to speak out and not to die in silence over issues of inhuman treatment they are subjected to, as well as maltreatment by their husbands,” she said.
A community leader, Elder Slyvester Mgbo, said that the community had tried over the years to abolish cultural practices against women.
He added that “on the issue of SGBV; they have our support and backing as community leaders and elders.
“No one will be happy to hear that his daughter married out in any community is being maltreated by her husband,” Mgbo said.
