In response to the increased cases of gender-based violence which continue to threaten the safety and wellbeing of women and girls, the Anambra State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to working with civil society organisations to strengthen protection mechanisms and advance gender equality across the state.
The Anambra State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Esther Onyekesi, gave the assurance while receiving a delegation of the Women Information Network (WINET) during an advocacy visit to her office in Awka.
The advocacy visit is part of WINET’s South-East campaign to build stronger women’s movements, deepen collaboration among stakeholders and improve institutional responses to gender-based violence through partnerships with government agencies, civil society organisations and development partners.
According to the Commissioner, no single institution could effectively address gender-based violence alone, which is why sustained collaboration between government, civil society organisations and development partners remains critical to protecting vulnerable women and girls.
The commissioner assured the organisation of the ministry’s readiness to partner on initiatives that promote women’s rights, prevent gender-based violence and align with the development priorities of the Anambra State Government.
She encouraged WINET to maintain close engagement with the ministry to ensure effective coordination of programmes aimed at improving the lives of women and girls.
“You are welcome. We are working together. We need one another to excel. It’s not something you do alone. I can’t do it without you people,” Onyekesi said.
Earlier, WINET’s Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Mrs. Chinelo Dim, who represented the Executive Director, said the engagement was being carried out under the project, “Strengthening Women’s Rights Organizations in Nigeria for Gender-Based Violence Prevention,” with support from the Amandla Institute for Policy and Leadership Advancement.
Dim explained that WINET is a non-profit organisation committed to ensuring that women and girls are adequately informed about their rights and empowered to exercise them while contributing meaningfully to society.
She said one of the project’s major achievements was a national webinar organised to commemorate International Women’s Day, where participants from across Nigeria, including persons with disabilities, were equipped with practical strategies for strengthening the women’s movement and promoting coordinated action against gender-based violence.
“Our organisation is also developing a comprehensive directory of women-led organisations, male allies, community-based organisations and Sexual Assault Referral Centres across the South-East states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo to improve coordination and access to support services for survivors.
“WINET would soon commence capacity-building workshops across the participating states and invited the Anambra State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development to participate in the programme and support the successful implementation of the project in the state,” she said.
The WINET delegation was accompanied on the advocacy visit by representatives of several women-led non-governmental organisations, who reaffirmed their commitment to working with the state government to create safer communities where women and girls can live free from violence and discrimination.
