FAME decry gender based violence among Nigerian school girls, rally Abuja school girls against menace

FAME Foundation in conjunction with the France Embassy in Nigeria has expressed concern over the rising incidence of School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV) among girls in Nigeria.

The Program Officer of technical cooperation of the France Embassy, Camille Oren claimed that no fewer than 44 percent of girls in the country have experienced one or more forms of physical and sexual violence perpetrated by their teachers or classmates.

The envoy who spoke yesterday during a training programme organised for fifty Abuja school girls observed that the violence has far-reaching consequences on the child’s physical, mental, sexual, and emotional well-being.

She pointed out that sexual harassment within the school environment can interfere with students’ educational opportunities, especially among girls.

Stating that the initiative is part of a larger campaign supported by French diplomacy to support the fight against gender-based violence, she expressed the hope that beneficiaries of the training will be equipped with the tool to protect themselves better against the menace.

Aderonke Bello who spoke on behalf of the FAME foundation identified rape, kidnapping, bullying and verbal assaults as some of the gender-based violence faced by school girls in the country.

She explained that the Standup Against School-Related Gender-Based Violence event was organized in commemoration of the global 16 Days of Activism.

She added: “School-related gender-based violence (SRGBV) affects millions of children, families, and communities. SRGBV are acts or threats of sexual, physical, or psychological violence perpetrated due to gender norms and stereotypes in and around schools.

“It violates the fundamental rights of children and is a form of gender discrimination, having wide-ranging consequences for their physical and emotional well-being, school performance and attendance, and the likelihood of experiencing or perpetrating future violence.

“In Nigeria, boys and girls in schools endure high levels of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, with girls experiencing more of the latter.

“This event is informed by the increasing rate of violence against girls in schools. Hence the STANDUP Against SRGBV is organized to enlighten them on the different forms of GBV and empower them to defend themselves through self-defence training.”