High Level Press Briefing and Flag off of 2019 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence at Hilton, Abuja. PIND’s call to end Rape and GBV in Nigeria Now.
November 25, 2019,
(PIND) was established in 2010 by Chevron Corporation to build multi-stakeholder partnerships for peace and equitable economic development in the Niger Delta. In its 10 years of existence, the Foundation has pursued projects and activities centered around reducing poverty through income generation and jobs creation and in reducing conflict by building social capital for peace, in addition to creating the enabling environment for economic growth through capacity building, analysis and advocacy.
PIND is resolute in its commitment to promote women empowerment and gender equality including addressing Gender Based Violence (GBV). The Foundation has consistently demonstrated this through its policies and actions.
Rape is no respecter of age as cases reported had shown that toddlers, girls, teenagers, young, adult and elderly women have been victims. The inter-generational vulnerability to rape is a serious cause for concern. A recent study in the Niger Delta revealed that hard working women fighting the scourge of poverty, whose source of livelihoods is in farm work have abandoned their farms because of rampant cases of rape and murder perpetrated by criminal individuals and gangs, so it is true to say that rape robs women of livelihoods and perpetuates poverty for women . Furthermore, rape thrives in conflict situations as it is used as weapon to defile, violate, oppress, intimidate and humiliate girls and women and unfortunately some do not survive this dastardly act.
In this moment of commencing the 2019 Violence Against Women and Girls Campaign and throughout the duration of this Campaign, PIND Foundation stands with the global community, multi stakeholders partners in Nigeria, and rape survivors to unequivocally condemn the evil of Rape. Rape violates the body, wrecks victim’s confidence and trust, exposes victims to health danger and psychological trauma and perpetuates poverty.
Let us use all available avenues to raise awareness about the evil of rape. Let awareness reach boys and girls, male and female teenagers, male and female youth, men and women of all ages, People Living with Disabilities, influential persons and institutions.
We enjoin all stakeholders to work together to take actions in solidarity with survivors, pull them out from their shell of secrecy, and provide protection for victims and other vulnerable girls and women. Do not cast aspersions on sexual violence survivors. Rather let us in our various ways support them to get justice and healing. Encourage them to rise above self-pity and denial, let them be courageous to share their experiences, and make necessary consultation to be healed of their physical, medical and psychological bruises and become shining light for other hurting women and girls. We call for punitive deterrent actions, and for speedy adjudication of rape cases.
Let’s us take actions to end RAPE Now.
PIND Foundation
