To eliminate violence against women and girls in Nigeria, the executive secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Tony Ojukwu, Esq has said the commission will engage in advocacy with all other states in the country to protect and stand up against violence perpetrated against women and girls.
The executive secretary stated this recently, on the commemoration of the International Day, 16 Days of Activism on Violence Against Women in Abuja.
While addressing the crowd during the demonstration, the NHRC boss said the commission is commemorating the 16 days of activism in the 36 states of the federation, including the FCT. Each day according to him, “is marked with activities ranging from advocacy, rally, conferences to the compilation of reports from the findings at the various meetings and visits conducted and a communique is issued at the end of the events.
The period will be used to raise awareness on violence against women and girls, promote human rights, while also advocating and energizing action towards the end of violence against women and girls, which is perpetrated across class, culture, or geography.
“In recent times, due to the COVID19 pandemic and the lock-down that followed, the violence against women and girls was exacerbated. This was seen in the number of reports received from the public by the commission. Between March and June 2020, the commission received and treated about 232 cases of various forms of violence against women and girls, including rape, sexual assaults, domestic violence, and other forms of inhuman treatments from the 36 states, including FCT,” he added.
