By Bimbo Adenrele
Mending Homes Foundation in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs on Thursday held a workshop on ” Violence Against Women : Her Rights in Contemporary Society” at National Press Centre, Radio House, Garki, Abuja F.C.T.
The Conveyor of the workshop and founder of Mending Homes Foundation, RTN Maggie Oluremi Anthony at the opening speech said Mending Homes Foundation is a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) resolving issues in homes. She also said that the foundation gather people during festivities to bring smiles to homes by providing foodstuffs, clothings and other essentials to the people. She stressed that poverty breaks homes. RTN Maggie Anthony disclosed that the foundation also reach out to broken homes. She noted that the foundation aim at building shelter where abused women and girls can take refuge. She enjoined everyone to rise up and join hands to curb this ugly trend. She noted that women are not chattel. Likewise, she said that challenges are not to mar us but to make us come stronger. She concluded by rendering a poem titled I got flowers today written by Paulette Kelly which RTN Anothony dedicated to all victims and survivors of domestic violence.
Representing the Honourable Minister Of Women Affairs, Mrs. Glory Anyanwu in her address commended the effort of Mending Homes Foundation in restoring marriages. She noted that women play an important role in the society. She said women should be respected by their husbands and family members. She disclosed that her Ministry focus on improving the rights of women through advocacy, sensitization and empowerment. Furthermore, she noted that her Ministry has zero tolerance for abuse of women rights. She disclosed that her Ministry will increase the survival and development of women which will contribute to the development of their families and societies. Mrs. Anyanwu noted that Nigeria remains the lowest in valuing women coupled with harmful practices towards women. She encouraged all like Mending Homes Foundation to say No to violence against women and girls.
In the brief interlude that showcased live testimonies of women who had been violated by their spouses, Mrs. Joy Ayo Akusu from Jos narrated her ordeal. She said she suffered domestic violence for 11 years. She disclosed that her children also experienced domestic violence. She noted that her husband would lock up all the foodstuffs at home and subjected her and her children to hunger. She said she reported the matter to the Ministry of Justice who advised her to leave her home until the matter is resolved. She discovered that she and her children were not healing fast and they had to relocate to Abuja. She emphasized that it is necessary not just to relocate but also to heal from domestic violence. She said her husband kept sending his apologies and after careful scrutiny of his behaviour and she was convinced that he was sober she reconciled with her husband and moved back to her home.
Emmanuella Cyril testified that she was a victim of domestic violence for 8 years. She said due to the constant abuse she lost one of her two children. She said she had tears in 8 different places in her body during child delivery and while she was sill recuperating from her wounds her husband raped her. She said her husband infected her with STD. She recalled that while her marriage was undergoing financial crisis her husband told her to sleep with men on three different occasions. She noted that she was a virgin when he married her. She disclosed that but for the timely intervention of her neighbour when her husband pushed her from their balcony she would have been died.
Mr. Obioma Ezenwobodo the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA ) Garki Division in his speech enumerated the rights of women. He said every woman has the right to life and right to live peaceably. He also said every woman has the right to participate politically. Likewise, he noted that women have the right to dignity of person and right to acquire property. He encouraged women to acquire property in their own names. He highlighted the factors that fosters violence against women as harmful traditional practices against women. He also mentioned religious practices. He enjoined women to have access to education to enable them know when their right is violated. He warned against the practice of telling women to depend solely on men for survival. Mr. Ezenwobodo Esq. urged mothers to train their boys properly to forestall domestic violence.
The last speaker, Mrs. Chioma Adeleke the Proprietoress of First Age Private Schools defined violence as any encroachment to human dignity or anything that promotes lack of safety at home. She highlighted the various forms of violence such as domestic violence which means violence within the home. She noted that verbal violence including using the mouth to say damaging words to a person while emotional violence occurs when a man shys away from his conjugal rights. She noted that economic violence is when a man deprives his wife from enjoying his wealth and sexual violence involves forcing someone to have sex without the person’s consent. She noted that physical violence means using force by beating, slapping or punching. She encouraged abused persons to confide in someone for help. Likewise, she said the abused person should forget about what people will say and should not succumb to peer pressure. She noted that violence creates low self esteem and fear. Mrs. Adeleke also noted that violence promotes lost of dignity.
At the end of the workshop participants were awarded certificate of attendance.
