By UCHENNA UGWU

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) is partnering African Centre for Youth Sport and Development (ACYSD) through sporting activities in Ebonyi to end Gender Based Violence (GBV) by 2030.

The Executive Director of the Centre and representative of Spotlight Freedom-run in the state, Mrs Yinka Suleiman, made the remark on Saturday in Abakaliki, during a freedom-run activity.

Suleiman said that the sporting activities were to raise public awareness against all forms of violence particularly against women and girls.

She said that it is also in partnership with state government ministries of education, youth and sport, women affairs among other agencies to end the trend in 2030.

She described the spotlight initiative as a UN-EU funded global initiative to eliminate physical, sexual and emotional violence against women and girls.

“My organisation is representing the spotlight freedom-run in the state.

“And in Nigeria, we are using sporting activities as tool to raise awareness and to end violence against them.

“It is a mass participatory event with target to end GBV by 2030,” Suleiman said.

The Wife of the Governor, Mrs Rachael Umahi pleaded with the judiciary, religious and traditional leaders to show more commitment in the awareness.

Mrs Umahi represented by her Special Assistant on Welfare, Mrs Patience Okorie, urged other relevant agencies to implement the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law for effective result.

“This awareness is to create public enlightenment that no form of violence against women and girls will be tolerated,” Mrs Umahi said.

The State Coordinator, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mrs Mercy Bamai, said that the agency were sustaining the fight with its Community Development Service (CDS) programme.

“The NYSC CDS group is a special project department in the agency used to let the public know that there should be gender equality for better society,” Bamai said.

A participant and student, Joy Odo and Christiana Anthony, in their respective remarks commended organisers of the event in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the spotlight freedom-run sport activity featured various schools, ministries, agencies, firms and other groups in a walk.

The walk commenced from the Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium to the Ecumenical Centre. (NAN)

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