A non-governmental organisation, Women’s Rights And Health Project, on Tuesday, charged journalists with increased reportage of sexual and gender-based violence so as to reduce the incidence in society.
Executive Director of the organisation, Bose Ironsi, said strengthening reporting channels would significantly improve the likelihood of prosecution of offenders of violence against women and girls.
Speaking at a sensitisation meeting for media representatives on effective documentation of reporting SGBV cases in Benin city, she said it is estimated that one in three women experience either physical or sexual abuse in their lifetime.
Ironsi said as part of efforts to address the challenge, the women’s rights group with support from the Open Society Foundation implemented a 21-month project on enhancing gender equality and protection from gender-based violence for women and young girls in Edo State.
She said, “the general objective of this initiative was to improve protection from SGBV for women and young girls through the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law in Edo State.
“It was also geared towards increasing awareness of the provisions of the VAPP law among 5,000 community members in two local government areas in Edo State, as well as strengthening reporting pathways for survivors of SGBV through mandated reporters in two council areas of the state,” Ironsi said.
The executive director pointed out that improved sensitisation and awareness creation across the state on the implementation of the VAPP law would effectively address violence against women and girls in Edo State