Sensitisation
By Aderonke Ojediran
Lagos, Oct. 17, 2024 (NAN) The United Nations (UN) Women, in collaboration with the Ford Foundation, has called on religious leaders to lead conversations on Gender Based Violence (GBV) in order to create better society.
Mr Ibrahim Nurudeen, Programme Officer for UN Women, made the appeal at a two-day sensitisation about GBV on Thursday in Ikeja.
” Religion remains the opium of the masses, we believe that religious leaders have a way of appealing to the consciousness of people. UN Women believes that religious leaders have vital roles to play.
“GBV happens everywhere, I believe it is easier to prevent something from happening than proffering solutions.
“Calling an old woman a witch is actually a GBV statement, elderly men are not called wizards,” the official said.
Nurudeen said that at the sensitisation programme, UN Women would identify the causes and the dangers of gender-based violence as well as how it could endanger humans.
“The UN Women understand that culture plays a vital role.
“We want female doctors to attend to our wives, but we say women shouldn’t get education because they are expected to be married.
“These are the issues,” he said.
Archbishop Daniel Okoh, the President of Christian Association of Nigeria, said that it was time for the church to play a more active role in curbing GBV.
” It is important to use Christianity to correct some aspects of culture that are working against the interest and the well-being of our society.
” We have looked at various levels of violence and have resolved to deepen our conversations around these issues and be very open and frank.
“We will use biblical perspectives on this issue to correct our orientation about gender-based practices so that we do not oppress women and girls in our community.
“At the same time, we don’t want it to appear as if it is one-sided because there are issues that appear to be against the men, we need to balance it,” he said.
Similarly the National President of the Organisation of African Instituted Churches, Dr Israel Akinadewo, said the era of silence culture about GBV had gone.
“We understand that this is a menace that needs to be eradicated. This partnership with UN Women is going to yield desired results because heads of congregation of different churches are here.
” These are the leaders that will get this message across, not just in terms of preaching, but proper implementation.
” We can’t continue to limit women. As a lecturer in a university, I can tell you that many ladies are at the frontline performing excellently academically.
“Male has imposed leadership on men even when the man is not prepared and lacks the intellect to lead,” he said.
1 Comment
It’s about time!