Imo women and girls turned out in their numbers on Wednesday and matched through the streets of the state capital, Owerri, in their black attire to protest against violence, rape, molestation and sexual assaults on women and girls.

The match, which ended at the Government House, Owerri, saw the women carry placards with different inscriptions such as the following:

Say no to rape!

Women are not punching bags!

Women, girls are not objects of brutality!

Work on your mind and hold yourself back.

Fix your thoughts on growth! Say no to rape!

Rapist should be castrated!

We demand and need justice for all victims of rape!

End the Vicious cycle now!

Stop child rape!

There is no Justice to rape!

Implement laws to protect women!

My dressing is not an invitation to be raped!

Prosecute offenders now!

Receiving the protesters, wife of the State Governor, Barr. Chioma Uzodimma, commended the women and girls for being bold to register their anger and rejection of the heinous act perpetrated against them in Imo State in particular and Nigeria in general.

Represented at the occasion by the Imo State Commissioner for Gender and Vulnerable Group, Hon. Mrs. Nkechi Ugwu, Mrs. Uzodimma said that “in affirmation, Imo women have said no to rape.”

She informed that the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) bill before the Imo State House of Assembly will soon be passed into law to protect women and girls against all forms of violence and other vices antithetical to women existence in a democratic government.

Mrs. Uzodimma reassured the women and girls that she is with them in the protest march, promising them of government maximum protection in the prosperity government of Governor Hope Uzodimma.

Presenting their protest to the wife of the Governor, the Coordinator, Imo State Committee on Ending Violence against Women and Girls (ISCEVAWG), Mrs. Marjorie Ezihe, requested, on behalf of the women, that the 9th Assembly urgently pass the VAPP Bill into law, as a legal framework to ensure protection, prevention, and redress for all forms of violence against women and girls in Imo State.

They further asked for the establishment of a functional and responsive State Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) at Imo State Teaching Hospital, Owerri, which should be managed by the State Ministries of Health, Gender and Vulnerable Groups, and Justice, and also pleaded for provision of services to all victims of sexual assault.

Civil Society Organisations, the National Council for Women Societies, the Moslem Women Organisation, the faith groups and all others who were in attendance raised their voice against gender-based violence, demanding justice for rape victims. They asked for a stop to violence against girl child, insisting that rape is inhuman and should not be tolerated.

PHOTO: Commissioner for Gender & Vulnerable Groups, Hon. (Mrs.) Nkechi Ugwu (middle), who represented Her Excellency, Barr. Chioma Uzodimma addressing newsmen during their statewide protest against rape in Nigeria

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