Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi (2nd left); his wife and Chairperson, Gender Based Management Committee, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; with other members of the Committee, shortly after the Administration of Oath of Office, in Ado-Ekiti.
The Wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi has again advocated for zero tolerance for violence against women and girls.
Speaking at Iloro Ekiti during a 2-day training workshop for the State Gender-Based Violence Management Committee and other
stakeholders organised by the State Ministry of Women Affairs, Social Development and Gender Empowerment in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Erelu Fayemi explained that the Fayemi led administration enacted the Gender Based Violence (Prohibition) law to create awareness on the unacceptability of any form of violence against women and girls.
The wife of the Governor stressed that the state government inaugurated a 16-member committee to ensure proper implementation of the law, adding that the committee would collaborate with other stakeholders including community and religious leaders.
Erelu Fayemi who is also the Chairman of the Committee assured that the law would not destabilize families in the state.
She lauded the effort of the Governor, the Speaker and members of the State House of Assembly, particularly, the House Committee on Women Affairs for ensuring the speedy passage and signing of the bill into law, saying this has assured women that their rights would no longer be trampled upon.
The wife of the Governor charged the participants who were drawn from various Ministries and Social Groups to be focused as they have an onerous task to perform.
In her remarks, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Social Development and Gender Empowerment, Mrs. Fola Richie-Adewusi expressed appreciation to the present administration for creating an enabling environment for women to thrive, adding that Ekiti GBV (Prohibition) law was the most comprehensive in Nigeria and other states of the federation are looking up to the state for its unprecedented achievement in the area of women development.
The Consultant in charge of the training, Mrs. Jumoke Adamolekun stated that the GBV Management committee was set up to monitor and ensure effective implementation of the law prohibiting GBV.
Mrs. Adamolekun added that the training would afford participants the opportunity to come up with a one-year work plan that would assist them in achieving the set goals and objectives.
The Resource Person, Prof. Oluyemisi Obilade in a paper titled ”Overview of Ekiti State GBV (Prohibition) Law” defined GBV as any act of violence that is directed against a person because of his/her gender and that which impair or nullify the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedom under general International law or under human rights conventions.
Prof. Obilade highlighted types of GBV to include physical, sexual emotional and psychological abuse, harmful traditional practices as well as socio-economic violence.
Last modified: November 28, 2012
