Yala CCMT Seeks Stronger Govt Backing To Tackle GBV – Says GADA

CROSS RIVER, CALABAR, The Yala Community Crisis Management Team has called for stronger institutional backing from the Yala Local Government Council to sustain community-based crisis prevention and strengthen the response to gender-based violence in the area.

The call came during a two-day advocacy visit by the Gender and Development Action-supported CCMT to traditional, community and government stakeholders in Yala Local Government Area.

The advocacy engagement, held on August 23 and 24, focused on transferring greater responsibility for the CCMT from GADA-supported management to the Local Government, with stakeholders urged to provide the institutional, financial and community support required for its sustainability.

The team also requested the establishment of a gender desk officer within the Local Government Council to support the Women Development Officer in coordinating CCMT activities and strengthening gender-related interventions.

The request formed part of efforts to ensure that the community crisis-management mechanism remains functional and locally owned beyond the period of GADA’s direct technical support.

A statement by the CCMT delegation, led by GADA State Coordinator, Roseline Unimuke, and Yala CCMT Chairperson, Mrs Maria Okpe, said stronger collaboration between the Local Government, traditional institutions, women leaders and community structures was necessary to prevent and respond to emerging crises.

The team in the statement made available to Truth Live News said the transition to Local Government ownership was intended to ensure that the gains recorded through the initiative would be institutionalized rather than depend indefinitely on external support.

The advocacy also placed gender-based violence at the centre of discussions, with the team seeking stronger community and government structures for prevention, reporting and response.

The Head of Local Government Administration, Mrs Angela Agboji, reportedly assured the CCMT of government support towards efforts to reduce GBV, while noting that the Local Government Chairman would be briefed on the delegation’s visit.

Agboji said GBV required urgent attention, linking its persistence partly to gender norms and the way children are socialised within families.

She argued that some families concentrate on preparing girls for marriage while paying less attention to the upbringing of boys, adding that harmful beliefs about male authority can contribute to violence against women.

According to her, the belief that a man should “correct” a woman through beating remains one of the attitudes that must be challenged in efforts to reduce GBV.

The CCMT’s advocacy therefore sought to strengthen cooperation between government structures and community institutions so that cases of violence could receive appropriate attention and affected persons could access support.

The Paramount Ruler of Yala Local Government Area, His Royal Majesty Ogamode Eje Ipuole, also pledged to work with the CCMT to ensure that GBV cases are properly handled and that communities become safer.

The traditional ruler’s commitment followed the team’s engagement with traditional and community leaders as part of efforts to build a local network for crisis prevention and peaceful coexistence.

Other stakeholders visited during the advocacy included Dr Raphael Oko, Chief Anthony Oluohu, popularly known as OC Bravo, the Ogadachichi I of Yala, and Mrs Janet Eriba, Woman Chapter Leader.

The CCMT was also given an opportunity to create wider awareness about gender-based violence during the solemn assembly and New Yam Day activities being organised by the Local Government as part of this year’s New Yam Festival.

The festival activities are expected to provide an opportunity for the team to engage a broader community audience on GBV prevention, reporting and the importance of peaceful family and community relationships.

The advocacy team also received a pledge of support from the wife of the Local Government Chairman towards sustaining the CCMT initiative, according to the report of the engagement.

The team further engaged the Director of Finance and Supply, Mrs Mary Agida, as part of its efforts to secure institutional support for the transition and long-term operation of the CCMT.

The Community Crisis Management Team was established and supported by GADA as a community-based mechanism for crisis prevention, management, peaceful coexistence and dialogue.

GADA has provided technical support to the initiative, while the current transition seeks to increase Local Government and community ownership of the mechanism.

The advocacy team said the sustainability of the CCMT would ultimately depend on the willingness of government authorities, traditional institutions, women leaders and community stakeholders to provide the necessary institutional and material support.

The Yala CCMT said stronger local ownership would enable communities to develop more responsive mechanisms for addressing emerging conflicts and gender-related concerns before they escalate.