A NON-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has called for improved budget for gender-related issues in ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government in order to reduce violence and discrimination against women.
Eze Onyekpere, Lead Partner of the centre, made the call on Thursday in Abuja at the end of a four-day capacity training for representatives of MDAs and some civil society organisations.
Noting that the training was scheduled to coincide within the period of the International Women’s Day, Onyekpere said it has become necessary for government officials in gender-related units to present their budgets in a more convincing way.
He said, “The overall aim and goal of this training is that it’s been quite a while that we’ve been discussing issues of gender-based violence, discrimination against women, but we’ve been discussing not from the stand point of trying to provide practical solutions and practical responses.”
“For every policy and plan you have, you must put down money otherwise it will not be properly implemented. And we discovered that very little resources go to issues around gender discrimination and gender based violence. Even the little resources that comes in, is not properly targeted.”
Commenting on the recent rejection of some gender bills by the National Assembly, Onyekpere said constant push by various women groups would lead to passage of the proposed legislations.
“But you also know that since that few days ago the bill was rejected, you could see women have been demonstrating at the premises of the National Assembly.
“From every disappointment or failure, you should learn lesson and that should be a springboard to know that you did not push hard enough for you to push further,” he said.
According to him, greater participation of women in politics would gender-based violence.
“If you are in a political position that may also go with economic resources, you are not likely to be a victim of violence if you have economic power,” he said.
Harrison Edeh is a journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, always determined to drive advocacy for good governance through holding public officials and businesses accountable.