From Nwogha Ndubuisi, Abakaliki
Ebonyi State government has approved a shelter for Gender-Based Violence, GBV, survivors.
Special Assistant to the governor on Gender-Based Violence, MaryAnn Nkwegu made this known to newsmen when she visited the centre with a team of taskforce for baseline assessment in Abakaliki.
Miss Nkwegu said the shelter had been approved by Governor Francis Nwifuru to serve as rehabilitation, legal and medical support for GBV victims across the 13 local government areas.
She lauded Governor Nwifuru for his human interest disposition, adding that the establishment of the centre would help curtail cases of deaths and damages.
Nkwegu noted that Ebonyi is the first state in the country to have a functional GBV shelter and called on men who are passing through any form of gender violence to report to the centre for medical and other assistance.
State Coordinator of Gender-Based Violence Taskforce and Director of Sexual Assault and Gender Based Violence Response Department in the Ministry of Justice, Faithvin Nwanchor explained that the team had been on advocacy in different parts of the state, and interfacing with stakeholders in different communities.
Describing the approval of the shelter as timely, Nwanchor, however, emphasised the need for men to take advantage of the centre to tell their story.
She added that violence is not peculiar to the female gender alone, as no blame could be laid on anybody being violated.
Nwanchor, who expressed delight with the plan to implement theVAAP law, urged the state government to make budgetary allocation for the sustenance of the center.
On their part, the Public Relations Officer, Ebonyi State GBV Taskforce, Mrs Goodness Mgbaja and Mr Nweke Emmanuel of Women and Children Department, Human Rights and Conflict Resolution, enjoined men to summon courage and report their cases, as opening up would help them gain attention, as well be guided on how best to react and relate with children and women.
