Community engagement can stop gender-based violence, says advocates

Some advocates for gender equality on Friday called for community engagement in curbing the increasing incidents of gender-based violence in the country.

They made the call at a workshop on “community dialogue on gender-based violence” organised for young people by a non-governmental organization, Boundless Hands Africa in collaboration with Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Network, a U.S. initiative.

Speaking at the workshop, the Founder, Across All Initiative for Mental Health and Stigma Eradication, Seun Dosunmu, noted that there was need to change the narrative on how women and men were treated.

He observed that “unfortunately, the physical abuse has become a norm in most communities; we hear cases of how women are economically and socially abused.

“They are not allowed to maximise or participate in activities; so conversations around gender –based violence will open the minds of young people. Workshops like this, which is also to raise community leaders who will do a replica in their various communities can foster enlightenment and address the negative attitude when it comes to gender –based violence. “

He called on policymakers to be proactive in addressing issues surrounding gender –based violence in the country. According to him, research shows that one in three women in their lifetime will experience gender –based violence and currently, about 80 million women have experienced some form of gender –based violence.

“Policymakers need to create and implement policies such as ensuring penalties for perpetrators and get them jailed in the interest of the victims,“ Dosunmu said.

Also, a lawyer, Christian Love, said that curbing gender –based violence would require inculcating good family values and reviewing the process of the statutes that make people get married.

According to him, before people get married there should be psychoanalysis tests that show the compatibility of couples, adding that “stakeholders, including government, families, religious organisations should collaborate to ensure couples coming together do not constitute a problem to themselves, religious organisations and society at large.“

Love said that conversations around gender-based violence should be continuous, deliberate and intentional while there should be consistent organised community programmes and dialogues within homes, religious organisations and other gatherings.

“As a nation, we must continue this conversation beyond an event; it must be deliberate, intentional and focused planning. It should be perceive as a priority to reduce incidents of gender –based violence,” he said.