VHF Records More Success In Advocacy On Ending Women, Girls Rights Abuse

By Ikenna Orioha…

A women focused organization, Virgin Heart Foundation (VHF), has recorded more success in its advocacy on ending rights abuse against women and girls in Ogbe and Ogbe- Nneishi communities in Ahiazu Mbaise.

Speaking, Executive Director of Virgin Heart Foundation, Peace Dike, noted that VHF came to round up a SLOC- Project funded by Actionaid Nigeria which started 3 years ago at the targeted communities.

She explained that the close- out and end of the year activity which was held at the Holy Trinity Parish, Ahiara East, Ogbe, Ahiazu Mbaise LGA of Imo State, last week, witnessed mind glowing testimonies by the project facilitators who she said worked thoroughly in educating the targeted communities of the need to shun obnoxious traditional/ cultural practices/activities that impede rights of women and girls.

“For the past 3 years, we have been working in 2 communities in Ahiazu Mbaise: Ogbe and Ogbe- Nneishi where we work with women, community stakeholders, influencers and even young people in various schools in these communities. The objective of this project is to bring together communities to stand strongly against social cultural norms that impede rights of women and girls. Various groups were created to achieve that purpose”, Dike noted.

She stressed that “some of the existing platforms used included: The Women Groups, The Reinforcement Community who will localize Ekwe Committee where people can come together to start demanding for behavioral changes over some Actions or Harmful Cultures that exist in communities. Part of them we have been working on are Harmful Widowhood Practice, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) or Cutting, Sexual Harassment and every other norm affecting women and girls adversely”.

While stating that the project has been left solely in the hands of the communities to sustain or continue it for the preservation, defense and strengthening of rights of women and children, the VHF Executive Director, harped that the elimination of violence against women and girls/rights abuse is not an individual thing, but a communal intervention, adding that the community now owns the advocacy against infringement of rights and living of such vulnerable groups since they have been adequately trained, educated and empowered.

Thus, encouraging the facilitators, village heads, traditional rulers, Ugoezes, religious organizations and other relevant stakeholders in Ogbe and Ogbe- Nneishi communities to step up the action plan (objective) of the project by ensuring that harmful cultural practices such as forceful eviction of women from their matrimonial homes due to lack of child or children, domestic violence, rape and other degrading treatments are permanently abrogated, the Imo State Coordinator, National Human Rights Commission, Ukah Ukachi, advised them to properly document any complain lodged to enable them sustain the humanitarian activity for free living.

Just as one of the cabinet members of the community, Nze Ihuoma Chris and Ugoeze Victoria Ihuoma, commended VHF and Actionaid Nigeria for championing the advocacy against women and girls molestation at the area and promised that they will add impetus to the crusade by spurring their people to go to churches, schools and other social gatherings to enlighten the public of the importance of discarding harmful treatment against women and children.

Earlier, in their separate testimonies, the facilitators: Ezinne Charity Ugwibe, Mrs. Chinyere Ndulaka, Amb. Nkem Nwosu and Mrs. Camelia Ugo, reflected that there have been a lot of improvement on morality, socialisation, environmental, domestic, self hygiene, self- esteem and godliness on the women and the girl child after partaking in the advocacy, saying the project has come to stay in these selected communities.