Too many women and girls are becoming victims of gender-based violence (GBV) in northeastern Nigeria \u2013 and there seems to be no way to put an end to it.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, November 17, health workers in the Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State organised an event to help bring awareness to parents, women and girls of this escalating scourge.<\/p>\n
The health workers said they had seen a substantial increase in the number of GBV cases.<\/p>\n
RNI reporter Fannan Usman spoke to some of the mothers who attended the event.<\/p>\n
Hauwa Muhammad said she found it enlightening and she now realised that she had to protect her children to the utmost of her ability.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe meeting was all about educating us. They told us about the rights of children and the need to take all precautions to stop GBV. It is important that we do not allow our girls to beg or sell things on the streets because that exposes them to danger.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Yazara Ba\u2019a Koloye, who also attended the event, said she had learnt a lot about GBV, especially the rights of children.<\/p>\n
\u201cI now know where to go to report cases of GBV. If this is happening, we all need to speak out about it. By staying silent, the abusers will just continue to abuse and it puts the victim\u2019s life at risk,\u201d she said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
A report by UN Women said one in three women worldwide experienced physical or sexual violence, mostly by an intimate partner. Violence against women and girls was a human rights violation, and the immediate and long-term physical, sexual and mental consequences for women and girls could be devastating, including death.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince the outbreak of COVID-19, emerging data and reports from those on the front lines, have shown that all types of violence against women and girls, particularly domestic violence, has intensified.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs COVID-19 cases continue to strain health services, essential services, such as domestic violence shelters and helplines, have reached capacity. More needs to be done to prioritise addressing violence against women in COVID-19 response and recovery efforts,\u201d the UN Women said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The United Nations Children\u2019s Fund (UNICEF) said GBV reached every corner of the globe but in emergency settings it soared.<\/p>\n
\u201cGBV is the most pervasive yet least visible human rights violation in the world. It includes physical, sexual, mental or economic harm inflicted on a person because of socially ascribed power imbalances between males and females. It also includes the threat of violence, coercion and deprivation of liberty, whether in public or private.\u201d<\/p>\n
It said GBV was especially prevalent in societies where women and girls had less power than men over their bodies, decisions and resources.<\/p>\n
In such societies, \u201csocial norms that condone men\u2019s use of violence as a form of discipline and control reinforce gender inequality and perpetuate GBV\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cGBV takes numerous forms: Intimate partner violence, sexual violence, child marriage, female genital mutilation, trafficking for sexual exploitation, female infanticide, and \u2018honour\u2019 crimes are common \u2013 with intimate partner violence occurring at staggering rates. Girls and women may also experience GBV when they are deprived of nutrition and education,\u201d UNICEF said.<\/p>\n
\u201cArmed conflict, natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies can significantly weaken\u00a0a society\u2019s ability to protect women and girls from GBV.\u00a0Rates of intimate partner violence often increase in crisis settings. Many\u00a0armed groups also use sexual violence as a tool of warfare to advance military or political aims. Girls and women may be forced to trade sex for food, money and other resources they need to survive. And in some places, they are married off early or forcefully, to protect or care for their families,\u201d the agency said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSurvivors of GBV suffer devastating short- and long-term consequences to their physical and mental health. Women and girls may experience severe physical injuries, unwanted pregnancies and exposure to HIV or other sexually transmitted infections. Depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], the limited ability to complete daily tasks and suicidal thoughts are also common.\u201d<\/p>\n
UNICEF said many survivors were subjected to victim-blaming or ostracised from their families and communities due to social norms. This put them at significant risk of poverty, isolation and further violence.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome survivors are forced to marry their perpetrators. Others face retaliation for reporting their experiences or seeking support \u2013 including at the hands of family members. At its worst, GBV can result in death, such as in situations of \u2018honour killings\u2019,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
AISHA SD JAMAL<\/strong><\/em><\/h5>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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