News – CIRDDOC

Sportlight: CIRDDOC engages religious leaders to end GBV

BY NKECHINYERE OGINYI

The Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre (CIRDDOC) with support from the EU – UN Spotlight Initiative has conducted a Community Mobilization and Sensitization for Religious Leaders on the Elimination of Harmful social norms around GBV, Child Marriage and FGM in Ebonyi State.

The week-long program was conducted for twelve selected communities in four Local Government Areas of Ebonyi State including, Ezza South, Abakaliki, Onicha.

The community sensitization was aimed at enhancing the capacity of religious leaders to advocate and lend a strong voice against sexual and gender-based violence and harmful practices.

The Executive Secretary of CIRDDOC, Onyinye Okaah in her remarks highlighted that the objectives of the community sensitization which was organized for religious leaders drawn from different denominations.

She informed participants that the intervention was carried out with support from the EU – UN Spotlight Initiative.
According to her, the EU – UN Spotlight Initiative is focused on Eliminating Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), harmful practices (HPs), and address related aspects of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHRs).

She noted that the project is implemented in some states in Nigeria including Ebonyi state and commended them for making out time out of their busy schedule to participate at the meeting.

The CIRDDOC Executive Secretary enjoined the religious leaders to be champions against every form of gender-based violence.

The Program Support Officer of UNFPA Mr. Benedict Essong in a remark stated that the EU – UN Spotlight Initiative is a global project implemented in eight priority countries including Nigeria.

In Nigeria, he said the project is implemented in Adamawa, Cross River, Ebonyi, FCT, Lagos, and the Sokoto States while the interventions are focused on six mutually reinforcing programming pillars.

Mr. Benedict pointed out that the EU – UN Spotlight Initiative recognizes the importance of religious leaders in society as role models and influencers. He stressed the need for them to educate their community on the dangers associated with harmful practices.

Earlier, the representative of the Ebonyi State Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Mr. Christian Oroke emphasized the Ebonyi state Violence against Persons Prohibition Law which according to him, has provisions that protect women and girls from FGM and Gender-Based Violence.

Rev. Emmanuel Diala of the Anglican Church Azuiyiokwu said that girl child education is a veritable tool in curbing social norms that adversely affect women and girls. He enjoined his fellow religious leaders to use their pulpit to sensitize people on the importance of sending young girls to school.

The Priest in charge of Assumption Catholic Parish Onicha Igboeze in Onicha LGA of Ebonyi state, Rev. Fr. kizito Osuji, commended the EU – UN Spotlight for such an awesome initiative.

Fr. Osuji stated that the intervention will help to eliminate violence against women and girls as the religious leaders will always advocate for their protection. He assured CIRDDOC of his continuous commitment to sensitizing his congregation to shun every form of harmful practice.

Another participant, and the Pastor in charge of Presbyterian Church Okposi in Ohaozara LGA, Rev. John Obasi recalled to the religious leaders of their calling in God’s vineyard which is primarily to save lives. He added that most of the harmful practices are condemned by both Bible and Quran and enjoined them to reorient their members to abandon every practice that hinders the development of women and girls.

The pastor in charge of Assemblies of God Church Echara, Ezza South LGA, Rev. Timothy Aliegu thanked CIRDDOC for the engagement with religious leaders and urged the participants to support the EU – UN Spotlight Initiative project.

UNFPA, CIRDDOC Lauds Ebonyi Communities For Ending FGM

By Nkechi Oginyi
UNFPA, and CIRDDOC Nigeria, Friday lauded Ebonyi state commitment towards ending FGM.
It urged communities in the state to always report the perpetrators of the phenomenon in their localities to appropriate quarters to stop the practice the way the killing of twins was stopped in the past.
They made the call during a program on FGM Elimination organized by CIRDDOC Nigeria with support from UNFPA called Accelerating Change, Consensus Building meeting on FGM elimination.
A Total of eleven communities participated in the consensus-building program held at community primary school Ogbala Ishieke, Ebonyi local government of the state.
Onyinye Okah, Executive Secretary CIRDDOC Nigeria said “we are organizing this consensus meeting on FGM abandonment with support from the United Nations population fund. The main objective of this consensus building is to get these communities that are here to on their own publicly accept the abandonment of female genital mutilation.
” in this year 2021, we have been carrying out series of activities in this Ebonyi starting from May it is believed that now they know the consequences of female genital mutilation, we are not coercing them, we are not forcing them but they have agreed to publicly declare the abandonment of FGM.
The CIRDDOC Secretary, called on community leaders to bring up a by-law to enforce #end the practice adding that dialogue and more sensitization could help to stop the practice which may still be taking place in a few of the communities in the hinterland.
CIRDDOC decried that lack of sustainability on the government side is affecting the implementation of campaigns against FGM and other gender-based violence but urged the communities not to relent rather continue monitoring and community sensitization as it is for their good.
“On the sustainability plan, we are encouraging the community leaders to support those that are willing to work because if those that are working have the support of the community leaders they will achieve a good result.
She emphasized that sustainability was very important for achieving good results.
In a remarks, UNFPA Program Support Officer, Mr. Benedict Essong on behalf of UNFPA, appreciated the community leaders and members for their participation, commitment, and efforts towards ending FGM in the communitiesand assured of UNFPA support to ending the harmful practices.
“At UNFPA, we continue to set our sights upon three ambitious aims for 2030, as elaborated in our vision for our forthcoming Strategic Plan 2022-2025:

Picture; the community members in the community dialogue to end FGM

“Zero unmet need for family planning,Zero preventable maternal deaths, andZero violence and harmful practices against women and girls, including an end to child marriage and female genital mutilation”.
The representative of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Barr. (Mrs.) Virginia Nweze commended CIRDDOC and UNFPA for their relentless efforts in ensuring the eradication of FGM in Ebonyi State.
Mrs. Nweze added that Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) does not have any health benefit but has left many families in pain. She shared her personal experience as an FGM survivor and stated that she is still living with the health complications as a result of the mutilation.
she urged stakeholders to join hands to end the barbaric act and save women and girls.
The traditional ruler of Nkaleke Echara Ndiebo autonomous community, HRH Eze Pius Akam-Alo welcomed participants and regretted that people still indulge in the practice of FGM secretly.
Eze Akam-Alo appealed to the community members to intensify sensitization and educate people on the existing laws.
Participants in the program, Mr. Okah Paulinus, a village leader from the Onuenyim community, and Mrs. Omogo Chinedu said the government should reintroduce a community surveillance team on FGM as it was done during the previous government under the MCCI program of Mrs. Josephine Elechi. Mobilize them with motorcycles for community sensitization.
To the perpetrators, they advocated that communities should raise and provide solutions to the practice by engaging, empowering the FGM perpetrators in what they will be doing to earn a living. “In my community, the PTA employed them as cleaners in our community school and the community is paying them. You can’t just push them away empower them as we did through PTA”.

FGM contravenes right to freedom from torture, inhuman treatment- UNFPA

By Abah Nnanna

The Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre (CIRDDOC) with support from United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) under a joint program on female genital mutilation (FGM) has organized a Consensus Building Meeting on the Abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Imo State southeast Nigeria.

Participants were drawn from thirteen communities in Ohaji/Egbema LGA of the state.

The meeting was organized amidst the Covid 19 protocol.

The consensus-building meeting was aimed at engaging community leaders and religious leaders to voluntarily accept to publicly declare the abandonment of FGM.

The Executive Secretary of CIRDDOC Onyinye Okaah while addressing participants at the meeting, condemned the barbaric act which endangers the lives of women and girls.

According to her, FGM contravenes the right to freedom from torture and inhuman treatment. She highlighted the dangers associated with the practice and enjoined stakeholders to desist from the act.

The representative of the Imo State Ministry of Health Mr. Ikechukwu Amagwula thanked CIRDDOC and UNFPA for their collaborative efforts to end the practice of FGM in Imo State.

And commended the stakeholders for embracing the opportunity to gather more knowledge on harmful practices against women and girls and stop it.

Mr. Amagwula acknowledged the consequences of FGM including causing women to bleed to death, depriving t&em, sexual urge thereby bring problems to the family, exposure to infectious diseases, and advised participants to ensure the elimination of all forms of Gender-Based Violence including FGM Is embraced in the area.

Mr. George Amakihe of Imo state Ministry of Finance and Economic Development on his part commended the organizers for the timely intervention which aims at enhancing the well-being of the people of Imo state and Ohaji Egbema to be precise.

Correspondent reports that with the development, CIRDDOC with support from UNFPA will organize a public declaration on the elimination of FGM for the thirteen communities.

Spotlight: Child Marriage, FGM Now forbidden In Izzi Land

Nkechinyere Oginyi

A traditional leader in the Izzi council area of Ebonyi state, HRH Eze Boniface Nwoba, Friday, September 24th, said that gender-based violence such as child marriage, and female genital mutilation practices are now forbidden in Izzi Nnodo, adding that anyone caught in the act will be prosecuted according to the community bylaw against gender-based violence.

He made this known during mobilization and sensitization for traditional leaders on the elimination of Harmful Social Norms around GBV, Child Marriage, and FGM in Ebonyi an event organized by the Civil Resource Development and Documentation Center (CIRDDOC) with support from the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative.

The Executive Secretary of CIRDDOC, Onyinye Okaah in her presentation said harmful practices pertain ill to behaviors and practices which are harmful to people’s physical and mental health. It is also against the rights of people to live free from harm, oppression, discrimination, and violence.

That it was in a bid to eliminate these practices, that the Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre (CIRDDOC) with support from the EU – UN Spotlight Initiative project organized community mobilization and sensitization for traditional leaders on the elimination of harmful social norms around GBV, Child Marriage and FGM.

The intervention which was carried out in four batches witnessed participants from twelve selected communities in four LGAs of Ebonyi state.

Representative of UNFPA, and Project support officer spotlight initiative in Ebonyi Mr. Benedict Essong thanked the community members for availing CIRDDOC the opportunity to interact with them.

He pointed out that the t EU – UN Spotlight Initiative aims at building a society where women and girls can effectively communicate with their male counterparts without discrimination and violence. Mr. Essong urged participants to join hands together to achieve this ultimate goal thereby ensuring that the rights of women and girls are protected.

Representatives of the Ebonyi State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Cecilia Nkama said that gender-based violence is a practice that must be stopped and added that all hands should be on deck to ensure that the lives of our loved ones are preserved. Mrs. Nkama thereafter reiterated the purpose of the community mobilization which is to strategize on the effective ways of ending all forms of violence against women and girls.

Chief Okorie Eugene Sunday, the Traditional Prime Minister of Igboeze Onicha community in Onicha LGA, commended CIRDDOC and the EU–UN Spotlight Initiative for carrying out the intervention. He assured participants that the traditional ruler’s council will work with CIRDDOC to achieve the goal of the project.

On his part, the traditional prime minister of the Okposi community, Chief Irema Israel Ogbonna commended the CIRDDOC team for their relentless efforts in ensuring the elimination of all practices that work against the well-being of women and girls. He assured the team of their support for the successful completion of the project.

Comrade Edigwe Alphonsus of Amana autonomous community in Ezza South LGA condemned the high prevalence rate of child marriage in their area and stated that the intervention was timely. He pledged to use his position in the community to sensitize people on the dangers of harmful practices.

CENGOS DEMAND GOVERNOR WIKE’S ASSENT TO RIVERS VAPP BILL

Worried by the upsurge in cases of rape and other gender based violence in Rivers State in particular, and Nigeria in general, especially as it seem the coronavirus pandemic have provided an additional opportunity for perpetrators as a result of the restriction of movement and total lockdown by the government that followed, the Coalition of Eastern NGOs (CENGOS) is demanding assent by the Rivers State Governor, to the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Bill

CENGOS arrived at the position, after a two-day Household Discussion Training for Community Educators on Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, which it organised in collaboration with the Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre (CIRDDOC) with funding support from AmplifyChange.

The coalition also regrets the delay experienced in the trial of cases involving perpetrators of rape and other forms of gender based violence which are prolonged in most instances, especially when underage children of 9 months, 3 years, 5 years etc are involved as currently witnessed in the state. CENGOS therefore want to call on the Rivers State Government to set up special courts to try cases of sexual and gender based violence for quick dispensation of justice.

CENGOS commends the show of extra-ordinary solidarity by the Rivers State House of Assembly in Passing the VIOLENCE AGAINST PERSONS PROHIBITION (VAPP) BILL, and we join other members of the civil society community to call on the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Chief (Barr.) Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, to in the interest of victims/survivors of rape and other forms of gender based violence, assent to the Violent Against Persons Prohibition Bill as passed by the State Assembly.

We urge victims to speak-up and break the culture of silence, and call on all residents and Nigerians to stand up and take responsibility in the fight against sexual and gender based violence.

CENGOS Rivers State calls on Faith Based groups, NGOs and the general public to demand for Governor Wike’s assent to the VAPP Bill.

11 Ebonyi communities renounce female genital mutilation practice

No fewer than 11 communities in Ikwo local government area of Ebonyi State on Friday at Igbudu community resolved to abolish the practice of female genital mutilation.

The people made the decision at the public Declaration on the Abandonment of FGM in Ikwo Local Government Area.

The event was organised by the Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre (CIRDDOC) with support of the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA). CIRDDOC is an independent, nongovernmental, and not for-profit organisation established in 1996 and committed to the promotion and protection of human rights, strengthening of civil society and the promotion of rule of law and access to justice.

The communities include; Igbudu, Ndufu Amagu, Ndiegu Amagu, Ndiegu Achara, Ndufu Echera, Inyimagu and Ekpoomaka. Others are Ekpa Elu, Eka, Ameka and Okpuitumo communities all in Ikwo Local Government Area.

Leaders of the communities in their separate remarks said that they resolved to abandon the harmful practice because of its health implications and its violation of the reprodictive rights of the woman and girlchild.

Eze Dominic Alo, the traditional ruler of NdufuAmagu community commended the organisation for promoting the campaign against FGM practice and noted that his community would join others in the council to stop the inhuman practice.

He said that the message would be passed down to the practioners and other members of the community while efforts would be made to effectively sensitise the people on the dangers of the act.

The traditional ruler was represented by Chief Dominic Nwuruku. He said: “I want to make a commitment and to assure that the message and lessons learnt from this exercise will be taking down to our various villages, churches, schools and markets.

“This is to ensure that the practice of FGM is completely eradicated in the local government area.”

Mr Igwe Okede, the town union president of Igbudu community explained that the people of the community were ready to abandon the practice.

“We are not only declaring the abandoning of this age -long harmful practice but we will ensure that we enforce compliance on community members.

“I am pledging to work to ensure that no community in our LGA is involved in this wickedness and gross violation of rights of the girlchild and women,” Okede said.

Also speaking, Mr Amechi Okorie, the town union president, Ndiegu Amagu called for synergy among stakeholders, government and the Civil Society Organizations to ensure the elimination of the practice in Ebonyi communities.

The community leaders, on behalf of their various communities, signed a document publicly outlawing the practice in their respective domains and pledged to constitute monitoring committees to enforce compliance of the declaration.

Earlier, Ms, Onyinye Okaah, Executive Secretary of CIRDDOC, said that the public declaration of abandonement of FGM implied that community leaders were no longer in support of the practice.

Okaah, while applauding the communities for renouncing the practice however, noted that some people could still indulge secretly in the act.

She urged stakeholders to constitute FGM committees that would enforce the decision of the communities including placing local fines on violators.

Some victims who participated at the event also narrated a harrowing experience they underwent and vowed to leverage the campaign to sensitise other women in their communities.

Mrs Chinenye Okeworo, a victim in her late 30s said that she underwent the practice before her first child and lamented that she was pushed to do it by her father.

“I didn’t want to do it; it was my father who pressurised me saying that if I refused that I’ll give birth to an imbecile that was why I yielded,” she said.

Also, Mrs Caroline Chukwu, another victim, said that due to the cutting that she didn’t usually have sexual urge whenever the husband wanted to have sex with her due to pains she experienced each time she had sex.

Ebonyi is one of the states with highest prevalent rate of female genital mutilation in the country, while Ikwo council area has the highest number of cases in the state.