International Human Rights Day: FIDA Abuja intensifies campaign to stop Violence against Women and Girls

The international federation of women lawyers, FIDA, Abuja branch has taken the campaign to stop violence against women and girls to the public in commemoration of the International Human Rights day, December 10th.

Today’s event marked the rounding-off of the organisation’s 16-day activism to curb the social menace.

At the Jabi motor park, men were engaged by appealing to their conscience to desist from battering and maiming the womenfolk. Consequences and dangers viz loss of life, prison term, and the adverse effects it leaves on children were harped on.

Meanwhile, help and support were offered to men who revealed that their partners act violently towards them.

An enlightenment radio program was also held on Wazobia FM where FIDA’s interactions with listeners were highly responsive.

FIDA Abuja stressed that violence against women and girls – particularly intimate partner violence and sexual violence – is a major public health problem and a violation of women’s human rights.
Violence can negatively affect women’s physical, mental, sexual, and reproductive health, and may increase the risk of acquiring sexually transmitted diseases in some settings.

Men are more likely to perpetrate violence if they have low education, a history of child maltreatment, exposure to domestic violence against their mothers, harmful use of alcohol, unequal gender norms including attitudes accepting of violence, and a sense of entitlement over women.

Women are more likely to experience intimate partner violence if they have low education, exposure to mothers being abused by a partner, abuse during childhood, and attitudes accepting violence, male privilege, and women’s subordinate status.

Overall, the objective of the 16-day long advocacy and empowerment counseling interventions is to prevent and reduce intimate partner violence against women and girls.