Media practitioners in Anambra have been urged to join the Movement to end Gender-Based Violence, GBV, in the society.

Raluchukwu Obioha, executive director, Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre, CIRDDOC, and National Co-ordinator, Coalition of Eastern Non-governmental Organisations, CENGOS, said this in Awka.

In a speech during a media roundtable on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, SRHRS, and Gender–Based Violence, GBV, organised by CENGOS and CIRDDOC in collaboration with Amplify Change in the Anambra capital.

The executive director said that CENGOS was an umbrella organisation of non-governmental organisations, working on human rights in the old Eastern region.

“CIRDDOC is a non-governmental organisation committed to the promotion of women’s rights, access to justice and rule of law.

“Amplify Change is an international development partner that aims at empowering young people, men and women to realise their sexual and reproductive rights,’’ he added.

Obioha noted that CIRDDOC and CENGOS were implementing a project entitled, “Building Bridges to End GBV and increase young people’s access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Information and Services, funded by Amplify Change.

“It is our intention to make GBV more visible through the media-influencing the society to acknowledge it as a problem and to put pressure on policy makers to legislative against it.’’

He said that the media roundtable would provide knowledge to the media on sensitive reporting, as it concerned gender-based violence.

“This can help survivors and others by providing them with the information they need to protect themselves and to seek help and justice,’’ he said.

Miriam Menkiti, the executive director, the Women Information Network, WINET, said the overall objective of the roundtable was to make gender-based violence more visible in the media in Anambra.

She explained the GBV to mean any act that would result in or would likely result in physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women (and men).

Menkiti listed various forms of the GBV to include, Domestic Violence, Sexual Violence, Harmful Traditional Practices, Femicide, child abuse, Trafficking and sex work.

“Often times, gender-based violence takes place in homes, workplace, communities, schools, hospitals, police stations and markets.

“The media has a pivotal role in highlighting the issue of GBV and drawing attention of state actors, policy makers, national and international humanitarian organisation to address the issue.

“It is the responsibility of the media to follow ethics and principles of quality reporting, while reporting gender-based violence incidents,’’ Menkiti added.

– Sept. 4, 2018 @ 17:19 GMT |