Cross River recorded 586 cases of gender-based violence (GBV) between January and October, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Edema Irom, said in Calabar on Saturday.

She told a news conference organised to kick start 16 days of activism against GBV that the figure represented only cases reported officially to the government.

Ms Irom said the ministry was putting structures in place in the 18 local government areas of the state, in collaboration with Non-Governmental Organisations, to report GBV cases in real-time to address the menace.

“We have a technical working group (TWG), with members drawn from the ministry and from the NGOs to find a way around the issue.

“The TWG meets quarterly to review efforts put in place to address the issue,’’ she said.

She explained that the 16-day activism was to create awareness on the menace and honour those who fought and paid the ultimate price. 

“The 16 days of activism is an annual event which begins on November 25 and ends on December 10.

“It was set aside by the UN to commemorate the brutal murder of 16 women from the Dominican Republic who were killed for their activism against gender-based violence.

“The activism also commemorates the World Day for HIV prevention on December 1; the International Day for Persons with Disability on December 3, and the International Human Rights Day, which holds on December 10,’’ she said.

In his remarks, Remi Ajuga of the National Human Rights Commission noted that gender-based violence constituted a major plank among issues handled by the commission.

“With the activism, which begins today, we have started the journey to end the menace,’’ Mr Ajuga said. 

(NAN)