Bauchi Christian Women Protest Against Gender Based Violence
…Call for stringent laws to check menace
BY ADEYEMI AKANJI, ABUJA – Worried by the increasing cases of gender based violence particularly with issues of rape of under-aged girls across the country, the Woman Wing of the Christian Council of Nigeria (WOWICCN), Bauchi State Council on Saturday held a public rally against the menace calling on government to act swiftly.
The women who were drawn from members Churches of CCN in Bauchi state staged a peaceful walk along the Hospital road carrying placards with different inscriptions against gender based violence.
They marched along the road singing “Enough is enough,” “no to gender based violence,” “no to rape,” “no to molestation of the Girl-child,” “no to domestic violence against the woman,” among others as they converged as the United Evangelical Church (UEC Main), Hospital road.
In her remarks, the National Secretary of WOWICCN, Dr Mercy John said the organization decided to embark on the campaign as part of its contributions to the ongoing fight against every form of gender based violence in the country.
She said; “Many women have been violated and subjected to various forms of domestic, physical and emotional violence by the menfolk. There are also some cultural issues that are practiced which are another form of violence against the woman.
“Government needs to enact stringent laws against the offenders, in fact, we in WOWICCN are in support of laws that will have cutting off of the manhood of the offender to serve as deterrent to others who may have the intention of committing such a crime.
“We want a girl child who will be given the rights to live, go to school, engage in a meaningful venture without any fear of molestation from anyone. We are calling on the government to come out and protect the women and their children from any form of molestation,” she said.
John said that women also need a lot of things to do in order to protect the girl child from falling victim of gender based violence saying; “as responsible mothers, women must know the type of friends our daughters are keeping, they are expected to be friends with them, give them listening ears and assist them in solving the problem of relationships”.
Also speaking, the State Chairperson of WOWICCN, Mrs Agnes Awoyale said that women in Bauchi state CCN came together to lend a voice to the suffering of women who have been battered by violence against them.
She lamented that a lot of the women are suffering in silence as the society is not ready to listen to their cries not to talk about solutions to the menace of gender based violence which is in the increase on a daily basis.
Awoyale therefore called on women to rise up to the occasion by ensuring that they give their children the best of education that will make them stand out to defend themselves against any form of violence.
