FONWIP Calls on the UN to Ratify  draft of a global treaty to end violence Against Women and Girls

Forum of Nigeria Women in Politics, FONWIP has urged Nigeria and other United Nations states to finalize and ratify the first draft of a global treaty to end violence against women and girls.

The FONWIP President, Hon. Florence Gbinigie who made the appeal during a meeting to mark 16 days of activism against gender-based violence in Benin City said the draft was released by the “Every Woman Treaty” for a safer world for women and girls worldwide

Hon. Gbinigie, a former Commissioner for Women Affairs in Edo State  said the need for a new global instrument on violence against women has been advanced by every woman treaty.

“Women’s Rights are Human Right. One out of every three women are abused every day. Women and girls are not protected from every form of violence. In that vein, there’s a global coalition called the Every Woman Treaty, which is made up of more than three thousand women’s rights advocates, including eight hundred and forty organizations in one hundred and forty-seven countries working for a safer world for women and girls worldwide. They launched a global binding framework to eradicate the most pervasive human rights violation,” she disclosed.

According to Hon. Gbinigie who was represented by Hon Eghe Favour Oseki during the FONWIP end of year meeting, the coalition during these 16 days of activism published a first draft of this treaty after eight years of extensive research and consultation with experts.

She said this 16 days of activism against gender based violence is marked each year and this year’s unite campaign theme is “ Invest to  Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls, adding that in every country and culture, more action is needed to ensure women in all their diversity live free of violence and coercion.”

In her words, “ this global intervention requires nations to adopt proven interventions, which will lower rates of violence worldwide. It is evident that 38 percent of female murders are committed by male intimate partners according to WHO report. Also, an estimated 640 million girls and women alive today were married in childhood, according to UNICEF.

“It is also of note that 79 percent of humans trafficked are women and girls according to the UN office on drugs and crime. As of today, only 14 countries have equal rights for women. These include, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Luxemburg, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

“It is therefore of utmost importance to STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS in Nigeria to make the society a better place to live in,” she added.

The Executive Director,  Christabel Otueroro Foundation, Onome Otueroro gave a lecture to the FONWIP members on the theme of the 16 days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence and the poor and widows were given Various foodstuffs, which includes Rice, Beans, tomatoes, groundnut oil and others for  Christmas.