The Family Empowerment and Youth Reorientation Path Initiative (FEYReP), in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), went on a sensitization campaign to communities in Akwa Ibom State, as part of her efforts to end gender-based violence (GBV) in the state.
This sensitization which targets “Under-served Communities, Reporting High Prevalent Cases of Gender-Based Violence”, took place at Ikot Oku, Ubara Village Hall, Ediene Clan, Abak Local Government Area.
At the event, Dr. Idorenyin Ekanem (FEYReP Coordinator), who opened proceedings, intimated the large crowd of participants on the aims of the workshop, which is to stamp out gender-based violence (GBV) through education and enlightenment on its dangers and negative impact on families and the communities as well. She expressed the hope that with the workshop, the attendees would learn the ills of rape and other GBV, charged them to take the message back home to their different communities, church denominations, schools and other groups. She stressed that the fight against GBV does not end with attending workshops, as action is required by the participants to pass down the message as well as taking the responsibility of reporting incidents of GBV whenever they occur irrespective of who is involved.
Dr. Ekanem frowned at the age-old tradition of silence which shields and encourages perpetrators to do worse. She urged parents, especially mothers, community members, not to shield perpetrators out of fear of intimidation or stigmatization, but to report such cases while stating FEYReP’s willingness to take up such matters till the culprits are apprehended and the survivors are given adequate treatment for them to recover from the trauma.
Also addressing the participants, a representative from the Ministry of Economic Development, Dr Uduak Ekong, commended UNFPA for funding the programme, advising the people to take the sensitization seriously. She also urged the participants to be advocates against GBV in their different domains in order to also educate those who did not have the opportunity to attend the workshop.
She urged them to live peacefully in their homes so that the society may be peaceful for development to thrive, as there can hardly be any form of development and growth where there is no peace.
On his part, the Clan Head of Ediene Clan, His Highness, Obong Otuekong Sunday Akpan-Umoh JP, commended FEYReP for organising the workshop to create such awareness, saying he had had a lot to learn. He promised to lend his support to the war against GBV via his office as community leader while also making the commitment towards educating his subjects on the dangers associated with gender – based violence.
Other participants, including community members, women, youth and religious leaders expressed their appreciation for the workshop, noting its values in enhancing their understanding of GBV and its prevention.
The sensitization which had participants drawn from the six villages of Ediene Clan women, youth and religious leaders, featured two paper presentations by FEYReP team leads.
Lady Aniebiet Akpan, head Gender Based Violence Unit, presented a paper on the topic “Lending a Voice: A Collaborative Approach to Ending Gender-Based Violence while Pastor Idorenyin Attih presented on the topic “Reporting, Health and Rehabilitation”, “FEYReP GBV: Response, Referral and Clinical Pathway”.
