Nigeria Needs to Prioritize Combating Gender-Based Violence for 21st Century Growth, Says Dr. Seinye Lulu-Briggs
Dr. Seinye Lulu-Briggs emphasised the importance of addressing gender-based violence (GBV) and integrating it into Nigeria’s development agenda to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
Citing a World Bank report, she stressed that reducing GBV is essential for achieving the nation’s goals and targets.
Dr. Lulu-Briggs spoke at an event organized by the African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA) in Rivers State, where her NGO, the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation, received an award for its efforts to protect women’s and children’s rights and its commitment to humanitarian service.
During her speech, she highlighted the challenges African women face in the 21st century, including the increase in GBV rates during the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected women’s human capital, voice, agency, and economic empowerment.
She also pointed out that despite many African countries’ ratification of international agreements related to women’s rights, there hasn’t been widespread improvement in the lives of African women.
Women still struggle to access land, credit, education, and healthcare, and GBV remains a significant issue.
Dr. Lulu-Briggs encouraged everyone to support efforts to end GBV by participating in the 16 Days of Activism to End GBV, a global campaign that runs from November 25 to December 10, culminating in World Human Rights Day.
Source: The Guardian Newspaper
