Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s candidate for president in the February 25 election, has offered solutions to address violence against women.
He shared his suggestions through a series of tweets on his X handle (formerly known as Twitter) on Saturday, in honor of the Global International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
Obi strongly condemned all forms of violence against women and highlighted alarming statistics.
He referred to the National Demographic and Health Survey, which revealed that one in three Nigerian women have experienced physical violence before turning 15.
Additionally, he mentioned a 2019 survey by the National Bureau of Statistics, which found that 68% of Nigerian women, regardless of age, have encountered emotional, economic, or sexual abuse.
According to Obi, the most effective way to eradicate violence against women is to ensure they have unrestricted access to quality education, empower them to claim their rightful place in society, and provide them with comprehensive healthcare services.
He said, “Today, the global community marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and I join my voice with that of all lovers of peace and a violent-free society, to speak out against all forms of gender-based violence, especially against women in our nation.
“While every form of violence against any Nigerian deserves to be condemned, gender-based violence against women must not be given a place among us. The National Demographic and Health Survey reports that 1 in 3 Nigerian women have experienced physical violence by age 15 (NDHS 2013).
“According to a 2019 survey by the Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics, 30% of Nigerian women aged 15-49 have experienced physical violence, while a shocking 68% have encountered emotional, economic, or sexual abuse. This ugly trend of violence must not be allowed to continue.
“Violence against women can be eliminated by empowering Nigerian women to take their rightful place in society and contribute to our collective development as a nation. This, we can do by giving them access to education and healthcare which are most critical to national development.”
He added that though considered the weaker vessels, the political influence of women in the Nigerian polity cannot be underestimated.
“Reports also show that women are critical players in our politics as they contribute significantly to the voting number, but are often hampered by violence which can only be eliminated by playing by the rules of the law guiding the game”, he noted.
He concluded that to build a better Nigeria than its founding fathers’ dreams, violence against women must be abolished.
“To build the New Nigeria of our dreams, completely abhorrent of violence against women, we must understand that development is not gender-based, and we all, men and women, must unite, in love, to move our nation forward”, he submitted.
