…as NGO facilitates training to curb the menace

By Shina Abubakar, Osogbo

Christian women in Osun State have vowed to become leading advocates against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) within their various communities.

This commitment followed an engagement session organized by HACEY, a health-focused non-governmental organization, aimed at curbing the spread of gender-based violence. The training was held at the Methodist Church Auditorium, Isale-Aro, Osogbo.

Speaking on behalf of the participants, Deaconess Jawolusi Sophia stated that the training opened her eyes to critical issues she previously overlooked—issues that have led to “silent deaths” among many women.

“We thank God for this training. It has truly exposed many of us in the church to the issues that cause silent suffering and, in some cases, lead to death. Through this session, I have come to understand that certain things I personally experienced were actually forms of domestic violence. I now see more reason to stand against such acts,” she said.

She added, “As Christian women, we have agreed to become advocates and mediators to ensure gender-based violence is nipped in the bud. These issues are becoming increasingly rampant in society, and now that we are better informed, it is our responsibility to curb the trend.

“We will not only counsel those suffering in silence but also refer them to appropriate groups or organizations for professional help. We will no longer gloss over these issues, whether they affect females or males, because gender-based violence can happen to anyone.”

The State Programme Officer for the HACEY Initiative, Praise Agboola, explained that the training was specifically targeted at empowering Christian and cultural women leaders with the tools to prevent GBV.

“At HACEY Initiative, we have engaged these women in capacity building and stakeholder dialogues. Today, they are training fellow women on ways to prevent GBV in their environments,” Agboola said.

She adds, “The goal is to empower women to recognize acts of violence in their churches and families, to know how to respond effectively, and to encourage others to speak up. Silence is not strength, and they have come to realize that.

“Most of the time, violence stems from a misinterpretation of the Bible or other spiritual books. People often pick one aspect to justify the oppression of the female gender while ignoring the rest of the message. This training aims to correct those narratives”.