Agbaje spoke in a message to the two-day annual dialogue on GBV with the
theme, “Engagement, coordination and sharing of lessons on GBV prevention
between religious, traditional and government leaders in Nigeria”, organised by
FIDA, Ekiti State Chapter in partnership with Ford Foundation in Ado Ekiti on
Friday.
The FIDA national president said, “The escalating violence against women
and girls in Nigeria is fueled by a complex interplay of faith, culture,
economic, political, historical and other social factors, discriminatory
traditions and societal norms”.
Agbaje, who said that a plan of action in preventing GBV occurrences in
the places of worship was expected at the end of the dialogue, charged
religious leaders to “serve as change agents and advocates of women and girls
rights, abdicate social norms and beliefs of their members through effective
messaging and campaigns through workable strategies”.
FIDA Chairperson in Ekiti State, Oyinade Olatunbosun, who sought
religious leaders’ involvement in ensuring GBV was prevented from occurring in
churches and mosques in the state, stressed the need for collective attention
and advocacy to end the scourge.
Olatunbosun said, “Religious leaders have critical roles to play in
prevention of occurrence of GBV. They can, through their platforms and
influential positions in shaping opinions, help raise awareness about all forms
of domestic violence against women and girls.”
The FIDA chairperson, who said the yearly dialogue was supported by the
Ford Foundation to strategise with the religious leaders on how to curtail the
factors that promote GBV in Ekiti State, said, “The dialogue is necessary as
most cases of GBV against women and girls are being shielded based on cultural
and religious factors.”
The Coordinator of the Ford Foundation Project at FIDA Nigeria, Rita
Abba, said the dialogue was aimed at identifying factors promoting GBV and
providing religious leaders with relevant skills and knowledge to become
advocates for change.
Abba, who lamented the the increasing cases of GBV in society, said the
ugly trend in the violence required increased efforts from all stakeholders
including religious leaders, traditional rulers, civil societies and the
general public to checkmate it.
She said, “We have changed our tactics, we are now coming from the angle
of prevention. We believe if there is a change in mindset, if people are
educated, if people are aware, if people are enlightened and if everybody is
doing their part, it will go a long way to change general behaviour across our
communities which will give us that long-term goal of ending and mitigating
GBV.”
The State Chairman, the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Emmanuel
Aribasoye, represented by Rotimi Oluwatusin, and the representative of Supreme
Council of Islamic Affairs in Ekiti State, Alhaji Ahmed Bakare, who spoke in
their goodwill messages, said the dialogue was yet another forum for better
understanding in how to prevent GBV in the places of worship.
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