Chairman wants Church to preach against GBV

Chairman wants Church to preach against GBV

GBV
By Joy Mbachi
Nibo (Anambra State), June 21, 2024 (NAN) The Church has been called upon to dwell more on teaching and talking to followers on the need to shun any form of Gender-Based Violence against women and girls.

Prof. Nkechi Ikediugwu, the Chairman, Post Primary Schools Service Commission in Anambra,
made the call while delivering a paper at the 38^th Awka Diocesan Women’s Conference (ADWOC) holding at Holy Trinity Anglican Church Nibo, Awka South Local Government Area.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ikediugwu spoke on “Gender-Based Violence Against Women: The Role of the Church” at the conference which opened on Friday.

Describing violence as any act that injures the emotional or physical wellbeing of a woman or girl-child, she listed some of the acts to include early marriage, battering, abusive words, undue control, among others.

Ikediugwu, a professor in Education Management and Policy Department, Faculty of Education,  Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, said “such acts inhibit women freedom of choice either in marriage, friendship or right to spend her own money.

“Some husbands forcefully take over their wives’ salaries and spend at will, while some parents force their daughters to marry men they do not love, either to cement old-time friendship or for material gains.”

She said such acts must be discouraged to enable women and girls to exercise their rights and achieve their goals.

She also listed the use of internet, peer group and cultural beliefs as some factors that contribute to certain types of violence in the society.

Earlier in a homily, Vicar of the hosting Church, Emmanuel Ajakor, urged women to pay attention to presentations during the conference “so that you can learn new things that will enable you become good builders of the family as a unit of societal development.”

Dr Chioma Ibezim, the Conference President, Mother’s Union, Women’s Guild, Girls Guild, Province of the Niger and Diocese of Awka, urged the women to listen to the teachings of the conference for great development of the church and society at large.

NAN reports that the conference was declared open by Rev. Alexander Ibezim, the Archbishop of  Ecclesiastical Province of the Niger.

The conference will feature motivational talks and thanksgiving on Sunday, June 23.(NAN)(www.nannews,ng)

JOY/HA
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Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu