BY JUDE OSSAI / ENUGU
Determined to stem the growing rate of Gender Based violence (GBV) in the country, Women Aid Collective (WACOL) in collaboration with Ford Foundation last Monday, renewed their war on violence against women/girls in Enugu State.
The participants were drawn from civil society groups, media, students, teachers, government functionaries, local government, medical practitioners, men and boys, etc.
In an opening address, Founder/Executive Director of WACOL, Professor Joy Ezeilo (SAN), stated that the workshop was to engage and train men and Boys (school-based peer education) in GBV prevention, and promotion of positive masculinity and healthy relationships.
Ezeilo who spoke through her organization’s Senior Programme Officer, Amala Okwuosa, stated that Gender-based violence (GBV) is preventable, and this evidenced-backed position spotlights the expressions of GBV, especially the violence against girls and women (VAWG), as a critical and persistent human rights and developmental challenge across Africa.
Giving the background of the workshop, she noted that GBV perpetuates cycles of inequality, stifling economic growth, and eroding social cohesion.
“Rooted in entrenched patriarchal norms, systemic power imbalances, and harmful cultural practices, this violence manifests in homes, schools, workplaces, conflict zones, and digital spaces, and so on, she added.
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“This particular project activity titled “Men and Boys’ Engagement Program to Engage and Train Men and Boys in GBV Prevention, and Promotion of Positive Masculinity and Healthy Relationships” is crucial as it foregrounds GBV prevention and the significant reduction in forms and instances of VAWG, through the engagement of Men and Boys (positive masculinity) as informed and active allies.
“The overarching objective of this Men and Boys engagement approach is the entrenching of positive shift and changes in behaviour and the ripple impact of changes at the individual, interpersonal/household and community levels towards gender justice.
According to the Law Professor, “The expected outcomes from this men and boys engagement programme are along the line of attitudinal shifts and Capacity gains as evidenced through the pre and post evaluation questionnaires”
She further pointed out that the attitudinal shifts across individual, interpersonal/household and community levels with applicable focus on the different categories of Stakeholders remains vital in addressing the GBV problem in the society.
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In a presentation titled: “Interrupting Cycles- Healthy Masculinity, Healthy Relationship, a strategic Communication and Mediation expert, Dr. Cyril Uche Anioke, noted that Cycles of violence, inequality and unhealthy expressions of masculinity are really isolated incidents.
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Anioke stated that they are often passed from one generation to the next , shaping how boys learn to think, act and relate to others.
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The university teacher pointed out that “a boy who grew up witnessing his father use violence to assert control, or hearing constant massages that men must dominate women, is more likely to internalize these behaviours as normal”
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“As adults, such boys may either perpetrate violence themselves, Tolerate it in silence, or struggle with their own Identities as men” he stated.
He had earlier spoken on Men/Boys and Societal Gender Norms: Myths, Facts which was followed by Media-society Faith connection – Media vs Reality.
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Other Resource person, Mr. Chris Sanctus Okereke, made a presentation titled: Understanding objectification – addressing victim -blaming, addressing defensive behavior.
Okereke also talked on a topic tilted: “Understanding Sexual Harassment, Assault and Exploitation. He also dwelt on two other topics namely; “Consent, Coercion and Non-consent as well as “Respectful Behaviour”
The participants also had groups and questions and answers session.
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