Traditional rulers in Cross River on Tuesday harped on the need for concerted efforts in the fight against gender-based violence in Nigeria.

They want stakeholders, including governments, civil society organisations, and local communities, to join in ensuring that issues of GBV are dealt with decisively.

They made the call in Calabar, at a stakeholders’ forum organised by the state’s Ministry of Women Affairs, in partnership with UN Women and supported by the Ford Foundation.

The forum, held in three local government areas, aims at sensitising community leaders to the need for local responses to issues of violence against women and girls.

The traditional rulers are championing a renewed campaign against GBV in rural areas, where such issues are prevalent.

Speaking on the heels of the event, secretary of the Creek Town Traditional Rulers Council, Effefiong Eyo, harped on the need to strengthen traditional institutions as agents of social protection.

“Traditional leaders must move from being passive observers to active defenders of the vulnerable in their communities,” he said.

While faulting the absence of a security presence in Creek Town, he also underscored the importance of intensifying awareness of existing laws against GBV as well as harmful traditional practices.

According to him, the area has become a refuge for criminal elements, fuelling cultism and resulting in increased cases of teenage pregnancies.

“Our biggest setback is the lack of functional security outfits; these criminals exploit that vacuum, leading to rising cases of teenage pregnancy and cult activities,” he said

He, consequently, called on the state government to collaborate with the Nigerian police to adequately staff the creek town police station as part of efforts to restore safety.

Also speaking, the chairman of the Ukelle Traditional Rulers Council, Ignatius Olam, expressed willingness to abolish harmful cultural practices which especially violate the rights of women and girls.

He, consequently, urged the need for adequate sensitisation and urged law enforcement agencies to work towards achieving the objectives of the initiatives.

In the same vein, a clan head of the Boje community, Leonard Akam, called for sensitisation at the grassroots to ensure that members of the community understand the law.

He said that many natives lacked awareness of laws touching on violence against persons, child rights law, and widowhood laws, adding that there is a need to train the police on the enforcement of the same.

Meanwhile, the state’s commissioner for women affairs, represented by the permanent secretary, Rita Eteng, said that the forums were part of efforts to enlist traditional rulers as allies in the fight against GBV.

She said that the engagements, which featured legal education, interactive sessions, and community-focused discussions, are all aimed at driving change.

(NAN)