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Stakeholders who took part in the quarterly engagement on sustaining the efforts of the Gender-Based Violence taskforce in Ebonyi State have made a case for more sensitization and synergy to end all forms of GBV in the State.
They emphasized how important it is for line ministries, traditional and religious leaders, the media, CSOs, and other pertinent organisations to work together effectively to support the task force team.
The stakeholder engagement was the 2024 first quarterly GBV Coordination meeting held recently in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital.
In her opening remarks, the State Coordinator of the GBV task force, Barr Faith Vin Nwanchor noted that the program was organised by the task force in collaboration with the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, with support from the USAID-Integrated Health Program, IHP.
She further explained that the meeting was to present a report on GBV task force activities, achievements and challenges, discuss and develop a Sustainability plan for priority activities supported by USAID-IHP
On his part, the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Ben Odoh, stressed that the present administration in the state was committed to reducing GBV incidence to a minimal level in the state.
Read Also: Stakeholders Call For More Joint Efforts To End GBV In Ebonyi
Represented by a staff of the Ministry, Barr. Uchenna Onu, the Commissioner revealed that the creation of the sexual assault and gender-based violence department on assumption of office was part of the strategies to sustain the fight against all forms of GBV in the State.
Other speakers, including the Gender Desk Officer of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Florence Onwa, appreciated the GBV task force team and assured that the Ministry being the coordinating house of the task force will not relent in supporting its activities.
She emphasized that the safe space established in the Ministry with support from Momentum County Global Leadership was 95% ready for temporary accommodation of GBV survivors, assuring that adequate arrangements were underway to provide all that was needed for its full take-off.
In his submissions, the Director of Planning in the State Ministry of Budget and Planning, Mr Chijioke Ogbodo, assured that all inputs emanating from line ministries concerning GBV activities would always receive due attention in the state budget formation.
Giving updates on activities, and achievements of the GBV task force, the Coordinator, Barr. Faith in Nwanchor, the deputy Coordinator, Rev. Mrs Flora Egwu and the PRO, Goodness Mgbaja identified some of the achievements of the task force to include enhanced response to GBV cases, survivor rescue and referrals; increased mediation services and alternative dispute resolution approaches to GBV cases, enhanced Community and social group outreaches, among others.
According to Mgbaja, “About 20,000 women and girls were covered in the task force’s recent GBV screening exercise in the state out of which over 5,000 cases needing action were responded to.
“We have recorded a tremendous increase in reported cases of GBV in the state. Today, the state GBV Taskforce has gained over 50 member Organizations in the state, and other states like Delta, Osun and Abia have adopted our model.”
On the challenges, Dr Flora Egwu decried the delay in execution of identified GBV cases, late reporting of cases, poor survivors’ attitude towards prosecution of perpetrators, lack of operational vehicle and paucity of funds as some of the challenges faced by the task force.
