Cross River State has topped the chart on sexual and gender-based violence by 42% in the South-South region.
This was disclosed at the inter-schools debate, marked as one of the activities on the 16 days of activism against sexual and gender-based violence in Calabar.
Speaking at the event, the United Nations Population Fund’s Reproductive Health and Family planning analyst, Dr Abayomi Afe, explained that Cross River state has one of the highest rates of pregnant teenagers.
“Cross River State has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the South-South region, about 42% and Cross River state is very diverse in terms of cultural practices and money marriage too is practised in Cross River.
“So bringing this advocacy to young people like this is to raise awareness about some of these harmful practices that are promoting Gender violence.
“We want the young people to know that there are people they can run to or talk to about their experiences. We want them to speak out and know that there are agencies and organizations that can help them fight gender-based violence.
“I am sure since we have hit hard on the subject, that there are leaving this place with a great sense of awareness and resolutions to kick out sexual and gender-based violence.
“In Cross River, the statistics of gender-based violence are still on a very high side. Although we are still using 2018 national demographic survey statistics, other studies have shown that within the pandemic, that is 2020, gender-based violence has gone up.
“In an average home, one in every three women experience gender-based violence. In some places, it is even 2 out of 3. This is because, during the pandemic, everyone was at home.
“We are going to scale out to more schools by next year. We are using a Snow Ball approach to do this advocacy. Gender-based violence can happen to anybody, irrespective of class or status, so let is not cover it up. Let us speak out,” he said.
Also speaking to Journalists at the West African Peoples Institute WAPI in Calabar, the Programmes Officer, Gender And Development Action GADA, one of the implementing partners of Spotlight Initiative, Miss. Amaugo Praise Kadibia called on the state government to face the issue and not cover up gender-based violence.
According to her, “You can see from the debate that the issue of gender-based violence is hiding in our cultures, but we need to leave culture, tradition, religion and social society as a perspective and focus on the act, Let us take responsibility for four actions.
“A rapist is a rapist; rape is a crime against both society and culture, so let’s face the issue. Any individual that perpetrates the act should take responsibility because it is a violation of human rights.”
