By Gabriel Olawale

Justice, Development and Peace Centre, JDPC has called for changes in certain norms and cultures that tend to promote inequality and gender-based violence in the society.

Speaking during the 2021 international day for the elimination of Violence against Women, Director of JDPC Lagos, Very Rev. Fr. Raymond Anoliefo said a lot of societal norms and cultures are outdated and need to be changed.

“Situation whereby a man believes he owns a woman and because of that woman are not allowed to get to the highest of their potential. Inequality is one  militating factors against holistic development and involvement of women in reaching their highest potentials.

“It is very much in patriarchy and very wrong idea of masculinity, there is need for us to go back to our culture and address certain abnormal that has become institutionalised.

He said that women and girl children need to be respected and protected, and to achieve this, everybody must be involved including governments, civil society, and religious organisation among others. So that we can stop this impunity.

“Perpetrators of violence affects psychologically and emotionally. Most times, it also affects the generation yet unborn. Children who grew up in a home where there is abuse, most times end up being abusers themselves.

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Corroborating his views, Barrister Lawrence Ohineme expressed optimism that a day will come when violence against women and girl children will be a thing of the past.

He encouraged states who have not enacted laws against gender based-violence to do so while admonishing states with laws to ensure implementation. “Freedom and right of women must be protected, the government needs to formulate gender based policies and also monitor the process.”

“Adequate provision must be made by the state for all to function and perform well to the best of their ability in the society. People should be allowed to contribute equality whether they are male or female and the world will be better and our society will be good for it.

Ohineme calls for more awareness on the issue of gender-based violence and inequality while training of personnel handles such cases must also be trained on a regular basis, “A lot of people are afraid to come out and speak because of the treatment they get in the hand of personnel in charge of gender-based violence.”

Barrister (Mrs) Ene Sarah Unobe said that parents also have a major role to play in addressing the issue of gender-based violence, “Parents have a duty to train their children to recognize that both girl and boy child are equal. Institutions such as schools and religious organisations have roles to play as well.

“Justice come before peace, which means end violence against women now is about gender justice, justice for women and a girl child. Why did we need this justice? It’s because we have been going through a lot of injustices due to the fact that we are women.

Vanguard News Nigeria