By Felix Asuquo, Calabar
The First Lady of Cross River State, Bishop Eyoanwan Otu, has called on the Cross River State House of Assembly to strengthen existing laws and intensify legislative oversight to combat Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in the state.
She made the call on Wednesday during a state-level advocacy visit to the Cross River State House of Assembly, led by the Nigerian Governors’ Spouses Forum in collaboration with the Ford Foundation and other development partners.
Speaking during the visit, Otu said the persistence of SGBV was not due to the absence of laws but weak implementation, harmful social norms, inadequate accountability and low public confidence in institutions responsible for protecting survivors.
She urged lawmakers to deepen legislative support by strengthening oversight of relevant agencies, ensuring adequate funding for prevention and survivor support programmes, reinforcing the implementation of existing laws and introducing reforms to address emerging challenges.
According to her, preventing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence is a public safety priority, a human rights obligation and a critical requirement for sustainable development.
She also appealed to the Assembly to institutionalise policies that would guarantee the protection of vulnerable persons beyond the tenure of any administration.
Responding, the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Elvert Ayambem, reaffirmed the legislature’s commitment to strengthening the legal and institutional framework for the prevention of SGBV across the state.
Ayambem commended the First Lady for her advocacy and humanitarian interventions, describing her efforts as a significant contribution to promoting social justice and protecting women, children and other vulnerable groups.
The Speaker said SGBV remained a major social challenge with consequences that extended beyond individual victims to families and communities, posing threats to peace, security and development.
He assured the advocacy team that the Assembly would continue to review relevant laws, strengthen legal protections for victims, ensure offenders were held accountable, intensify oversight of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, support improved budgetary allocations for SGBV interventions and promote access to justice, rehabilitation and psychosocial support for survivors.
“The responsibility of eliminating Sexual and Gender-Based Violence rests on all of us. Together, we can create safer communities where every person is treated with dignity and respect. The Cross River State House of Assembly remains ready to work with all partners in advancing this important cause and ensuring that our laws continue to protect the vulnerable,” Ayambem said.
The advocacy visit brought together representatives of the Nigerian Governors’ Spouses Forum, the Ford Foundation, development partners and other stakeholders to seek stronger collaboration in addressing harmful social norms that fuel Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Cross River State.
