As part of activities to commemorate the 2020 edition of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, the Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP) yesterday organised men in Alimosho community to walk against gender-based violence.
The campaign which was executed with support from Action Aid Nigeria and Global Affairs, Canada had the Chairmen and representatives of the 6 LCDAS in Alimosho Local Government carrying placards from Ikotun/Igando Secretariat through Ikotun bus-stop beckoning on the traders, commuters and passers-by to shun rape and all forms of domestic violence urging them to report cases to the CDAs.
Condemning Rape and all forms of gender-based violence, the men affirmed that the male gender has a significant role to play in the fight against gender-based violence.
The CDA Secretary of Ikotun/Igando L.C.D.A, Femi Akinfisoye told Community Bell that “the role of men is very significant in the fight against gender-based violence. Men he said, need to be cautioned so that they can zip up. My advice to men is to have the fear of God, they should know that the crime is not godly. In my CDA, we tell people that it is not a crime that should be swept under the carpet, when they see something, they should say something. People have been proposing penalties for the perpetrators, some are proposing death sentence, castration and others”.
The CDC Chairman, Ikotun LCDA, Elder Demola Osibeluwo added, “as fathers of different communities, we saw this programme as one that we should support, I have been a part of the project in the last eight years and I have been campaigning against rape. The problem with this country is that when the elders are not looking down to what is going on in the community, there will be a problem in the future. Rape, child abuse and other forms of domestic violence are caused by men. We are the ones to tell the youths about the implications of their actions. If you rape a girl today, it means that the future of that lady has been damaged”.
Apart from the physical implications, there are also psychological implications of the action on her. I took this project personally because I don’t want it to continue. We have seen so many cases and arrested so many people of which we will continue to advocate against until it comes to the zero levels. Lagos state government is doing the advocacy, we must also do it at the community level and that is why such an issue is a matter of priority at my CDA meetings. When people report cases, we refer them to Ireti Resource Centre for counselling and guidance.”
Chairman of Ayobo-Ipaja CDC, Olokede Joseph said, “We as leaders should be able to teach the young ones to stop the attitude. How can an elderly person sexually harass a toddler or a child? This has become rampant in our society these days and I believe that it can be avoided if we all come together to fight against it.”
Speaking on behalf of the Executive Director of WRAHP (Bose Ironsi), the Programme Manager, James Unegbu gave reasons for involving men in the campaign. “we organised this men’s campaign against gender-based violence because the main perpetrators of gender-based violence are men. So the men have come out today to show that they are not in support of it.
The men we have here are leaders of community development committees in the 6 LCDAS that make up Alimosho community and they are working with us to try to increase reporting of incidents on gender-based violence. We call on the society to protect and save by reporting such cases to Ireti Resource Centre. If men report, women report, then the matter of rape and gender-based violence will be stopped.
