The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Chinwe Okah, gave the assurance in Abakaliki on Monday at a news conference to mark the 2022 International Women’s Day.
The programme was organised by the ministry in collaboration with the Wife of the State Governor, Mrs Rachael Umahi in Abakaliki.
The day is observed every March 8 to celebrate women and their achievements with the theme “Break the Bias”.
According to the commissioner, the ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding with law enforcement agencies, a strong GBV taskforce, mobile court to ensure quick access to justice and perpetrators convicted.
She said that massive awareness and sensitisation against GBV by the task force and Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law had given more confidence to survivors to report cases.
“More cases are being reported and the act is reducing. About 11 perpetrators have been convicted out of 695 persons that needed access to justice in the state.
“Our major challenge is access to justice and safe space. The space is a structure required in the provision of complete GBV services,” Okah said.
The Project Director, Excellence Community Education Welfare Scheme, Mrs Grace Jimbo said a total of 298 survivors of gender-based violence were identified and received care.
“We are partnering with Jhpiego through Momentum Country and Global Leadership (MCGL) Project to equip the capacity of 242 healthcare workers across 121 health facilities in 11 Local Government Areas, to provide screening to 31,065 women in six months.
“We also engaged the services of human rights lawyers for the provision of free legal services and access to justice for GBV survivors,” Jimbo said.
The State Team Leader, USAID-MCGL Project, Mrs Nneka Chijioke-Dikeocha, said there was need for all local and international partners to say no to inequalities and break the bias to achieve the course.
Eze Linus Nwizi, the Traditional Leader of Ezzaiyimagu Autonomous Community in Izzi Local Government Area (LGA) and his counterparts from Ezza-North LGA, stated that women had been included in their cabinet and planned for more women inclusion.
Nwizi said that he was collaborating with Mrs Umahi’s programmes and other local partners in the state to end early marriage, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and forms of Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event featured partners, USAID-IHP, Gender Health, Civil Society Organisations, traditional leaders of some various communities and the media.
