Chief Sylvanus Okon, paramount ruler of Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, has condemned the maltreatment of widows, wife battery, and other forms of Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
Okon, who said this on Thursday in Uyo when United Nations Women visitsd him, declared an end to such heinous practices in his domain.
The traditional ruler described practices such as rape and other forms of gender-based violence as evil.
He said that henceforth, anyone found indulging in the practice in his domain would be sanctioned.
Okon further stated that there was no difference between a male child and a female child and added that all children are entitled to the same rights and privileges.
“Discrimination against widows and female children has now been abolished within Uyo territory.
“Widows are to be entitled to their husband’s property in full.
“Men and women have equal rights, and there is no superiority between a man and a woman,” he said.
Earlier, Mrs Helen Umana, President, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Akwa Ibom, said they had heard so much about gender-based violence in the state, especially about rape, including children being raped even by their fathers.
Umana expressed surprise that some of those raped are minors, like six months, one year, and two years old.
“When you are in a relation that is abusive, when the man, for no reason, is hitting you, why don’t you leave?
“We at FIDA have been able to implement rape law. If you are caught, you will go to jail,” she said.
Ms Patience Ekeoba, Acting Deputy Representative, United Nations Women, said the UN recognised the unique and powerful role of traditional institutions in shaping social norms and influencing behaviour.
She added that the leadership demonstrated by the traditional ruler and the Uyo Traditional Council was a bold and commendable step toward cultural transformation rooted in dignity and equality.
She described UN Women as an entity of the United Nations for gender equality and women’s empowerment, working on three mandates.
“We work in five programme areas: Governance in Public and Private Life (GPPL), Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG), Women Economic Empowerment (WEE), Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and Humanitarian and Disaster Risk Reduction (HDRR).
“UN Women is proud to partner with traditional leaders, government institutions, civil society, and communities to eliminate all forms of gender-based violence.
“We remain committed to supporting capacity-building, community engagement, and the development of community-led guidelines that translate today’s declaration into sustainable action,” she said. (NAN)
