Anani and GBV Management Committee Develop Action Plan for Enhanced Effectiveness.

By Tracy Ohovwore, Benin City.

The Coordinator, Office of the Edo State First Lady, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani, has called on relevant stakeholders to intensify the combat against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) by ensuring that the rights of women and children in society are protected, amid rising incidences of GBV in recent times.

The First Lady gave the charge while hosting the 13th GBV Management Committee at the Government House in Benin City.

She emphasized the meeting’s importance in addressing gender-related issues and explained the nature of GBV.

According to her, “Both men and women suffer from GBV, but most times, women are more at the receiving end. Our goal is to raise awareness and educate stakeholders on eliminating GBV in our society.

“Gender-based violence is not only physical; it can also be emotional. Both genders suffer emotional trauma, and it has socioeconomic implications. Additionally, domestic violence is often visible. We also have harmful practices rooted in our culture. As Africans, I always say it’s challenging to differentiate between what’s harmful and what’s cultural.

“But lately, we have been trying to raise awareness against female genital mutilation (FGM) of the girl child. This harmful practice is a form of violence against the girl child. We condemn violence against women, and the Edo State Government is committed to protecting the rights of women and children in the state.”

During the meeting, data presentations by stakeholders on reports from January to March 2025, covering cases of GBV in progress, referred, concluded, abandoned, among others, revealed the increasing number of cases today.

Mrs. Anani explained the devastating effects of GBV on its victims while pledging to do all in her power to support causes against GBV through her office.

“I welcome everyone here. From my office, we have made ongoing efforts to sensitize the public on violence and gender. Our approach is women-friendly, and we encourage men to respect women’s rights while promoting healthy relationships.

“On my part, here in the office, we have been able to sensitize women and the general public. Every group that comes to this office, I preach about gender-based violence. It has damaged a lot of people, and we see it every day. It has damaged the self-esteem of women to the extent that they are so used to it. They really do not know when they are being violated. Because you are used to being battered, you just think it’s normal. It looks normal because we have accepted it to be normal. These are the sensitizations we want to talk about, and our action plans. What do we do when we have cases like that?”

Speaking at the meeting, the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the State, Dr. Samson Osagie, expressed confidence in the Governor Monday Okpebholo-led administration’s commitment to tackling Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

He pleaded for more collaboration and support from the state government to facilitate the Committee’s efforts.

According to Dr. Osagie, “I just want to suggest that the seriousness of the mandate of this Committee is such that we cannot rely only on sponsors, because violence in itself is a crime. It was just for the purpose of emphasis that this law was passed—to protect the vulnerable in our society, particularly women and children. Although research and facts have now shown that men suffer a huge level of violence even from their spouses.

“This Committee may need to crave the indulgence of His Excellency the Governor for a visit, where we drive home the importance of state government support. If you’re able to reduce the level of domestic violence, you’re helping society bring about peace, because the primary unit of society is the family, and it borders on peace and security, which is a primary purpose of the government. So, we will need to seek an audience with Mr. Governor for the purpose of budgeting so that this Committee and the ministries involved can have adequate funding for their activities.”

The meeting further concluded with stakeholders evaluating possible ways to fight against GBV, improve their effectiveness and efficiency as a team in discharging it’s duties, and assess the progress made toward achieving their 2025 target.

By Tracy Ohovwore, Benin City. The Coordinator, Office of the Edo State First Lady, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani, has called on relevant stakeholders to intensify the combat against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) by ensuring that the rights of women and children in society are protected, amid rising incidences of GBV in recent times. The First Lady

It’s become… normal,” Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani whispered, her words hanging in the air. The rise in gender-based violence was undeniable—could the fight be won in time?