By ENITAN ABEL JOHNGOLD ORHERUATA, mnipr
As the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence drew to a close on Tuesday, stakeholders in Delta State intensified calls for sustained action, stronger institutions, and community-driven solutions to eliminate violence against women and girls—especially in the rapidly expanding digital space.
The grand finale event, held at the Prof. Chike Edozien Secretariat in Asaba, brought together key actors in the fight against GBV, including the Ministry of Justice, FIDA, Civil Society Organisations, faith-based women groups, teachers, students and the media. The symposium, themed “Unite to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls,” echoed the 2025 global campaign message, spotlighting the rising threat of online harassment, cyberbullying, and technology-enabled exploitation.
Speaking at the event, the Delta State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Community and Social Development, Hon. Princess Pat Ajudua, reaffirmed government’s commitment to combating all forms of violence against women and children.
She described the global campaign as “a call for a universal rejection of silence, the dismantling of harmful norms, and the creation of societies where women and girls can live with dignity and without fear.”
Ajudua lamented that despite the enormous benefits of digital technology, “a darker reality has emerged where online spaces are increasingly being used to shame, exploit, threaten and violate women and girls.”
She stressed that the State Government will confront digital violence with the same seriousness as physical, emotional and economic abuse, using preventive and survivor-centred approaches. The Commissioner urged young people to become frontline advocates in the fight against digital-enabled abuse.
Delivering a keynote address, Dr. Florence Ofovwe commended Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and the First Lady, Deaconess Tobore Oborevwori, for their unwavering support toward ending GBV in the state.
She decried the surge in digital violence worldwide, warning that social media has increasingly become a platform for harassment and intimidation. Ofovwe called for stronger collective action, insisting that human rights must be upheld daily—especially online.
Civil society groups including NCWS, CWO, FIDA and others echoed the need for a coordinated response to GBV, raising concerns about prolonged trial processes and financial constraints that force many families to abandon legal action. They called for consistent institutional support to ensure justice for survivors.
In one of the most moving segments of the event, survivors of gender-based violence recounted their ordeals—stories reflecting the emotional, psychological and physical trauma that digital and physical abuses continue to inflict. They urged young people to resist deceptive promises of overseas travel, noting how such offers often lead to exploitation and trafficking.
The 16 Days of Activism, observed annually from November 25 to December 10—culminating on International Human Rights Day—energises global and local efforts toward ending all forms of gender-based violence. This year’s theme addressed one of the fastest-growing forms of abuse in the modern world.
Giving a vote of thanks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Oghenekevwe Agas, expressed gratitude to participants and urged schoolchildren present to become ambassadors for GBV prevention in their respective schools and communities.
The event closed with renewed commitments from all sectors to strengthen reporting mechanisms, expand education on online safety, and build support systems that protect the dignity, rights, and future of every woman and girl in Delta State and beyond.