Rotary urges students to shun gender violence According to the 2012 Gender in Nigeria report, “one out of five Nigerian women and girls aged 15-24 years have been a victim of one form of violence or the other.

In a bid to put an end to the increasing incidences of violence against women and young ladies, Rotary International district 9110 Nigeria has urged Nigerian students to shun Gender-Based Violence, GBV, in public and private schools in the country.

In a public lecture tagged: “Youth Protection, Security for the Future,” Gbenga Ganzallo, the coordinator, research and programmes, Women Arise for Change speaker, who delivered his lecture on behalf of human rights activist, Dr Joe Okei Odumakin, said such incidents reflect and reinforce inequalities between men and women.

He said according to the 2012 Gender in Nigeria report, “one out of five Nigerian women and girls aged 15-24 years have been a victim of one form of violence or the other.”

He said GBV knows no boundaries as it affects all categories of women/young girls, rich/poor, old/young; Christian/Muslim; and people from various ethnic backgrounds.

He said the establishment of school-based advocacy programmes, engagement of traditional rulers and gatekeepers, engagement of faith-based organisations (churches and mosques), and increased involvement in projects with men and boys advocating would reduce all forms of GBV.

Also Femi Emmanuel, a youth activist, while delivering a lecture on “Making our world a better place for our youths” said our world is filled with daily news disturbing facts on child molestation, rape, incest, drug abuse, alcoholism and lots more, stating that taking actions now will solve the causes of GBV.