ODSG inaugurates Gender Based violence response network
By Josephine Oguntoyinbo
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Ondo State Government has inaugurated Gender Based Violence Response Network in the state.
Inaugurating the team at A 2-Day training programme for the Gender Based Violence Response Network organised by the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development with the support of the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Women Affairs, Mrs Titi Adeyemi noted that the team are expected to provide succour to victims of gender based violence.
She added that the team will also serve as a catalyst in the prosecution of offenders saying that “It is the desire of all that the team will be critical in the prosecution of offence under the prohibition Act”.
The SSA said according to the United Nations declaration on the elimination of violence against women, gender based violence is any act of violence that results in or is likely to result in physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women or men including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life.
While saying that gender based violence is a threat to one’s life and a denial of one’s dignity, she averred that the intervention is timely in order to ensure proper coordination and documentation of such cases in the state.
Mrs Adeyemi appealed to the residents of the state not to hesitate to report any case like this to the ministry, assuring that cases will be treated with utmost confidence and within the ambit of the violence against persons (prohibition Act 2015).
She therefore charged the team to discharge their duties diligently to achieve the purpose of establishing the body.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Alaba Adeyemi posited that the programme was aimed at sensitising the general public and relevant stakeholders on the need to provide succor for victims of gender based violence with emphasis on women and children who are the most vulnerable groups in the society.
The facilitator of the training, Mrs Wonuola Kazeem stressed the need for linkages and referral to appriopriate quarters at the occurrence of gender based violence in the state.
