The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Monday scored Cross River and Ebonyi state highest in Gender-Based Violence cases in Nigeria.
UNICEF communication specialist, Enugu field office, Mrs. Ijeoma Onuoha-Ogwe, disclosed this in a two-day media engagement dialogue on ending violence against women and girls organised by National Orientation Agency (NOA), Ebonyi state with support from European Union-United Nations (EU-UN) spotlight initiative in Enugu.
She lamented how coronavirus pandemic is turning more women and girls into victims of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the country.
Onuoha-Ogwe however, called for amendment of some sections of the constititution of the federal republic to help tackle the phenomenon and bring expected end to it.
She said, “Cross River and Ebonyi states have cases of GBV very high not that it is not happening in other parts of the country or elsewhere in the world but it has become prrtinent that spotlight initiative in colloboratiob with National Orientation Agency, Ebonyi state bring this to the fore so that it is being lookex into.”
One of the resource persons at the event, Dr. Chidi Ezinwa, of the Department of Mass Communication, Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT) who spoke on child right reporting and ethical response from the media, called for review of Evidence Act which he said was outdated and giving room for rapists to escape justice.
“When we look at our laws as it is now, for instance, the Evidence Act requires colloboration. Collaboration means that there must be an evidence of another party that witnessed a rape. Does it means that rape has become a party that when you want to rape someone, you invite people to come and witness it? So, such law should be reviewed.”
