Stakeholders in the peace building and reconciliation project in Benue State have pledged commitment to promoting peaceful coexistence as well as removal of barriers that trigger Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
In recent times, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and other stakeholders have scaled up advocacy and action against GBV through awareness creation and sensitisation.
The commitment forms the basis of the “Stakeholders Engagement on Peace Building and Reconcilliation,” organised by the Benue State Peace Commission in collaboration with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as part of its activities marking “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence” in Makurdi, Benue State capital.
Themed “Tracing the root: Standing against GBV”, the panellists, moderated by Dr. Helen Teghtegh, Executive Director, Community Links and Human Empowerment Initiative (CLHEI), shared incisive thoughts on the subject: The Role of Women in Building Lasting Peace in Benue State.
They canvassed continuous advocacy, capacity building, sensitisation and awareness creation, empowerment and inclusion of women in governance, and in checking GBV.
Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Barr. Deborah Aber says, “the worst form of violence women are suffering is psychological torture.” She was represented by James Adzande, Senior Special Assitant to the Governor on Media (Cabinet office).
Meanwhile, the Director General, Benue Peace Commission, Josephine Haba says the “commission understands the impact of Gender-Based Violence on peace and development within the family, local community and the civil society which aligns with her core mandate of ensuring timely management of emerging disputes and positive transformation of working relationship between government, civil society and the community.”
