By COLLINS YAKUBU-HAMMER

Mrs Adedayo Bejamins-Laniyi, Mandate Secretary for Women and Children Affairs in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), says 2, 344 cases of Gender based violence (GBV) have been reported in the territory.

Benjamins-Laniyi made this known during a meeting with On Air Personalities (OAPs), influencers and media personalities on Thursday in Abuja.

She admitted that there are challenges in reporting incidences of the GBV and how to bring it to the fore.

“Now, the ingenuity of the Department of FCT GBV focal person was created for this interaction and let them see alongside other geographical zones of Nigeria.

“If we trigger something of consciousness with the OAPs and influencers, mothers and leaders in those communities, they will also do something.

“For me it has also become a trigger, a clear dash board for my own inaugural assignment.

“From a thousand reported case of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGV), it has now shot up to 2, 344 as at today. This is caused by a greater consciousness and now a will to engage those channels of reporting.

“Also, I have become very much an activist for GBV Campaign and I have been deliberate about it. And we are going to focus on disability and gender base disability violence’’ she stressed.

Benjamins-Olayini commended the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps for being the first security institution “to domesticate as it were the gender bill.”

The Mandate Secretary explained that the secretariat has no less than 10 departments, 40 divisions and 15 units.

“Every one of the gender mainstreaming direction and objectives of the mandate for the FCT women, adolescence girls, children and PWDs within the classification of vulnerable groups is a targeted index for intervention and for subvention.

“This will bring critical rescue to circumstances that have implicated their state of being and the rights of livelihood, life, safety and security,” she said.

Benjamins-Olaniyi emphasised that history of atrocities against women is a heist that brought about women having to bite, urging OAPs and reporters to always balance their reports as it concern GBV.

She further explained that the 16 days of activism against GBV with the theme: “Invest to Prevent Violence against Women will Children” will begin on Saturday.

“We are going to have a walk; dignitaries like the Minister of FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, the Commandant of the NSCDC and others will be leading the walk.

“Also, the distinguished Sen. Ireti Kingibe has come out with an incredible `Orange Nigeria Project’. She wanted all of us in the gender field to create a movement and to work together.

“So our `Orange FCT Cloud’ will be flowing into Orange Nigeria Project; Project of the FCT, and as we do this, it is non-partisan, non-tribal, non-political, non-religious and non-gender agenda.

“It is just a message,” Benjamins-Olayini said. (NAN)

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