The government of Enugu State has declared zero tolerance for gender-based violence (GBV) and has established a steering group to eradicate the social ill in the state. The Government House Enugu was the site of the inaugural ceremony.
Members of the panel include representatives from the Nigerian Police Force, various ministries (including Agriculture and Agro Industrialization, Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Human Development and Poverty Reduction, Trade, Investment and Industry, Ministry of Justice, Health, Education, and Civil Society), and the panel is chaired by Mrs. Ngozi Enih, commissioner for children, gender affairs, and social development.
At the inauguration of the Steering Committee for Strengthening Institutional and Community Responses to End Gender-Based Violence/Domestication of Enugu State Gender Policy using the Oputa Panel approach, Governor Peter Mbah reaffirmed the administration’s dedication to end GBV and to prevent it through proactive measures, including activities, infrastructure, and systems.
Prompted by Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, Secretary to the State Government, Mbah made it clear that the issue of gender-based violence received considerable attention. Enugu State is prepared to go above and beyond to address this issue, and we will not tolerate it in any way.
The government has chosen individuals who are deeply dedicated to this objective, as you can see. This is not an activity where we just want to check-off the list.
This will be monitored. We will keep an eye on this, and we will hold quarterly meetings to discuss the accomplishments of this group in relation to the recommendations they will provide.
The terms of reference indicators will be tightened so that we can track our actions in relation to the input costs and the value added. We value it highly. Civil society, the police, and different ministries will all play a role.
But he insisted that the goal was to safeguard all people, regardless of gender, because GBV knows no bounds.
Protecting women, children, and men (because gender violence is often misunderstood as affecting only women, but it can actually affect men as well) is the main goal, along with holding those responsible for gender violence accountable and discouraging others who are culturally or socially inclined to participate in such violence.
“We urge our men to rise up and ensure they comprehend that the policy that Enugu State is about to domesticate is inclusive of all individuals, not just women,” he declared.
Restoring government faith in the panel’s members, Mrs. Enih said that the necessity to address all local peculiarities in domesticating the policy on GBV inspired the Oputa Panel approach.
With the Oputa Panel approach as our guide, we will travel to each of the 17 LGAs to hear directly from the people about the challenges they face; after all, policy is for the people, and good policy should be tailored to their needs.
Once again, every community has its own unique difficulties. That’s why the government has decided that in order to domesticate the gender policy, they need to hear from the policy owners about the adjustments they desire. That is why we have chosen this method.
Judgment is to be handed down by the committee members as well. We shall return to the people of Enugu State to adjust the policy based on the information we collect from them once we have gathered enough data.
The public should be aware that a gender policy is available to them. I can guarantee you that when the public are aware that there is such a policy, they will demand for the enforcement of that policy. As a result, she assured everyone that this policy would not be forgotten.