The Imo State Chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association Women Forum (NBAWF) recently held a powerful and enlightening general meeting, drawing an impressive turnout of its members.
The highlight of the gathering was a deeply engaging lecture on the theme: “Gender-Based Violence: Examining the Impact on Women and Girls, Particularly in Crisis Areas.”
The session was led by the Imo State Lead of the Forum, Mrs. Chinaka Sunday-Iherue, LLM, ACArb, who also serves as Chief State Counsel at the Imo State Ministry of Justice.
With clarity and conviction, she unpacked the realities of gender-based violence (GBV), describing it as a societal threat that touches everyone—whether directly or through someone they know.
According to her, GBV extends beyond violence against women, encompassing violence against men and gender non-conforming individuals, especially where gender identity plays a role in the abuse.
She highlighted the various forms of GBV—sexual, physical, psychological—and explained that these forms often intersect, creating complex layers of trauma for survivors.
Mrs. Sunday-Iherue also explored the root causes of GBV, citing factors such as poverty, conflict, harmful cultural norms, religious misinterpretations, displacement, and systemic breakdowns in services.
She emphasized that stress within the home, particularly during crisis periods, can also aggravate instances of violence.
In her call to action, she laid out preventive strategies including:
- Empowering individuals across all gender groups
- Providing safe spaces for women and children
- Ensuring access to quality education
- Actively involving men as allies
- Including women in leadership and decision-making roles
- Rapid deployment of comprehensive GBV services in crisis zones
- Offering trauma-informed support and safety measures for survivors
She closed her lecture with a strong recommendation: sensitization must move beyond workshops and become an ongoing dialogue in schools, religious institutions, local communities, and at every level of governance.
Members of the Forum expressed gratitude to Mrs. Sunday-Iherue for the timely and thought-provoking lecture, noting its relevance ahead of the upcoming August meeting.
The session served not just as an academic exercise but as a clarion call to collectively combat GBV through awareness, advocacy, and action.
It was, by all standards, a purposeful and impactful outing—one that reaffirmed the NBAWF’s commitment to being a voice for the vulnerable and a platform for meaningful change.
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