By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
Nigeria and the ECOWAS States have made moves to tackle Gender-Based Violence against children and disabled in the Region.
Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, Ambassador Musa Sani Nuhu, represented by Ambassador Samuel Victor Makwe said this at the opening of the 8th Online Engagement of the Regional Working Group Against Gender – Based Violence and Violence Against Children organized by ECOWAS Commission on 27th February, 2023.
Nuhu reiterated Nigeria commitment towards eradicating violence in the Region.
He encouraged members of the Regional Working Group to remain committed and focused on addressing the social menace of Gender-based Violence and Violence Against Children with special emphasis on the promotion and protection of the rights of disabled persons.
Executive Director of FEWACCI, Mr Aminou Akadiri, pledged commitment of Private Sector towards the eradication of GBV and VAC in the region.
The Working Group, deliberated on possible areas of collaboration around programmes of the Division of Human Security and Civil Society in the Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, with a protection focus, including the establishment of an ECOWAS Child Rights Information System (ECRIMS), the collaboration of information about National level GBV/VAC Coalitions.
Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, ECOWAS Commission, Dr Sintiki Tarfa Ugbe, represented by Mr Olatunde Olayemi, Programme Officer – Social Dimension of Human Trafficking appreciated the Working Group and disclosed that the strategy of the Directorate through the Human Security and Civil Society division is focused on the protection of women, children, victims of trafficking , internally displaced persons and the most vulnerable during and after emergency situations.
According to Ugbe, this is achieved through the deployment of the various tools developed by the Commission.
He stated that the Eight meeting would focus on building on already existing initiatives of the Network and would further integrate approaches and explore the synergy between member organizations of the Network.
The meeting discussed areas of synergy with member organizations on programme such as establishment of a Child Rights Working Group in support of the implementation of VAC programmes by ECOWAS at the regional level.
Daybreak reports that the 8th Online meeting was organized for Regional , CSOs, Non State Actors working against Gender Based Violence against children and disabled persons in the West African Sub Region.
Participants were the Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs (the host), ECOWAS Gender Development Center, OSRSG-VAC, UNFPA-WCAR, UNICEF, CISLAC, Plan International, FEWACCI, IOM, UNOWAS, SOS Children Village (WCNA region), Centre for Women Studies and Intervention, Abuja-Nigeria.
