As we marked the 2025 16 Days Activism with the theme: UNITE! TO END GENDER BASED VIOLENCE AGAINST ALL WOMEN AND GIRLS, the Family Empowerment and Youth Reorientation Path Initiative (FEYReP), took its sensitization campaign to Etoi Secondary School in Uyo , Akwa Ibom State. Speaking to the students at the School Assembly Hall, the Assistant coordinator of FEYReP, Lady Aniebietabasi Akpan addressed the anomaly of Gender Based Violence in our society informing that “the growing rate of gender-based violence cases in our society is a serious concern with statistics showing that one in three women and girls worldwide experienced physical or sexual violence in her life time.”
She enumerated different types of GBV to include.
Physical Violence, Sexual Violence, Domestic Violence, Emotional Violence and Psychological Violence and advised the students to always speak out should they experience any form of GBV from parents, teachers and other community members. She also stated that there is Violence Against Persons Law (VAPP LAW) in Nigeria enacted for the prosecution of offenders as well as the protection of VAPP victims and the discouragement of VAPP crimes. She also highlighted the offences written in the law and the various penalties they attract.
Lady Akpan emphasized on the theme of this year 16 Days Activism “to end digital violence against all women and girls” saying that women and girls are the most vulnerable people who experience GBV, hence the call for united action to the menace in our society.
Speaking further, Lady Aniebietabasi said that FEYReP is determined to fight and bring to an end, gender-based violence in the State and urged the Students of the School to always report cases of GBV to the Vice Principal, the School Counsellors or call the phone numbers on the flyers given to them.
Also Speaking at the event was Monitoring and Evaluation officer, Mrs. Aniefiok Jackson who advised the students to shun cultism and drugs and focus on their studies. She added that cultism will lead them to involve in diverse menace in the society thereby resulting in life in prison as the case may be. In a separate response, the Principal of the School, Mr. Paul Bassey and the vice Principal on special duties Mrs. Patience Akpabio thanked FEYReP for choosing their School for the sensitization program and admonished the students to always report cases of GBV to the appropriate authority. The high point of the event was the question and answer by the students which clarified the quest for more knowledge in the area of GBV.
