16 Days Activism Against Gender Based Violence

"Work" on the male child" AWLA urges parents


President of the African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA), Mrs Amanda Demechi-Asagba, has tasked parents to teach their male children to protect females as vulnerable species.

Demechi-Asagba made the appeal on Monday while reacting to the 16 Days Activism Against Gender Based Violence which will end on Dec. 10.

She said that the 16 days activism is an international campaign challenging violence against women and girls in the society.

TRIPLENET reports that the campaign runs every year from Nov. 25, marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, to Dec.10, which marks the Human Rights Day.

The female lawyer said that the 16 days of activism was an opportunity to revitalise commitments, and called for accountability and action from decision-makers to end gender violence.

AWLA president stated that the ‘He for She’ initiative had not helped much in tackling issues of violence in the society as only very few men support women in society.

Demechi-Asagba noted that the few that lend their voices in support of women, still retained an undertone.

She, therefore, urged the society to tackle the issue from its root, by taking the campaign back to the primary unit of society, the family, where parents had a key role to play.

According to her, if every parent teaches their male children not to molest a woman, boys will begin to take the front seat and play a pivotal role in the fight against gender based violence.

She told NAN that AWLA had recently taken the campaign against gender based violence to schools, focusing on male students .

“Quite surprising, we were amazed to find out that a lot of school boys actually came out to sign up for making a difference in society.

“So, this is the way to go; parents must rise up to the occasion and begin to teach their male children how to treat a woman and protect them.

“We live in a patriarchal society where everyone believes it is a man’s world; even fellow women still think that a woman has no business contesting an election, as you often hear statements like ‘are you a man’.

“This general perception has not helped in the campaign we talk about and it simply means that we have a very long way to go in achieving the much desired parity,” she said.

Demechi-Asagba, also emphasised on the need for women to retain their true identities and root, even after marriage.

According to her, some women after marriage, immediately delete their fathers names and adopt their spouses names without delay.

She stated that although marriage was desirable, it should not be a killer of ones identity.

“I give an example with myself; while I was contesting for the office of NBA third vice president, most of my old school mates could not recognise that it was their mate back in school because I had changed name.

“But as soon as I decided to merge my fathers name with that of my husband as a compound name, it became a game changer for me and ultimately made me win the election,” she said

Demechi-Asagba, consequently, advised women to exhibit a feeling of self confidence in themselves as the first step in the fight against violence.