The Best Way To Eliminate Violence Against Women Is To Grant Them Access To Good Education – Peter Obi

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the February 25 election, Peter Obi has come out to offer solutions to nipping violence against women in the bud.

He recently had his say while speaking to the press, and Nigerians have been reacting.

According to him, the National Demographic and Health Survey has said that one in three Nigerian women have experienced physical violence by the age of 15, and that should not be the case.

Obi added that the best way to eliminate violence against women is by granting them unhindered access to good education and empowering them to take their rightful place in society.

His words, “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.

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.

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.”