In a bold move to combat gender-based violence (GBV) across Bayelsa and the wider Niger Delta, the Association of Women Against Gender-Based Violence (AWAGBV) has launched its National Secretariat in Yenagoa and unveiled a comprehensive five-year strategic plan focused on prevention, empowerment, and collaboration.
The newly commissioned secretariat, situated in Amarata directly opposite St. Jude’s Girls Secondary School, will serve as a vital support hub where survivors of gender-based violence can report abuse and access immediate assistance. This marks a significant milestone in the group’s mission to create a safer environment for women, children, men, and persons with disabilities who face the realities of GBV in the region.
Speaking at the inauguration, Chief (Dr.) Antonia Garner, Grand Patron of AWAGBV and a UK-based forensic mental health practitioner, said the association’s five-year strategic plan is designed to provide lasting relief and rehabilitation to victims. She announced a major fundraising event scheduled for July 2025, aimed at building a state-of-the-art treatment and administrative centre for GBV victims in Bayelsa.
Dr. Garner emphasized AWAGBV’s commitment to partnering with both local and international organizations, noting that diaspora-based advocacy groups like Eduare—a UK charity focused on educating Ijaw children—and the Bayelsa Ladies in Diaspora have already signaled strong interest in collaborating to promote education and economic empowerment as core strategies in the fight against GBV.
National President of AWAGBV, Dr. Dise Ogbise Goddy-Harry, stressed that the strategic plan will deploy preventive programs to drastically reduce violence against women. According to her, the association is committed to transforming awareness into action through community engagement, policy advocacy, and survivor support initiatives.
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Echoing this sentiment, Engr. Dr. Amalate Ann Jonathan Obuebite, First Vice President of AWAGBV and Chairperson of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), highlighted that education and economic empowerment are key pillars of the strategy. She noted that when women are financially and intellectually empowered, they are less likely to remain in abusive relationships.
Second Vice President, Dr. Jonathan Filatei, founder of the Debora Ebisinde Filatei Women and Children Development Foundation, revealed plans for a large-scale media campaign aimed at educating the public and increasing community collaboration in ending gender-based violence. She also disclosed that AWAGBV is working on establishing GBV awareness clubs in secondary schools to sensitize girls early and equip them to recognize and resist abuse.
In a strong show of solidarity, the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, Bayelsa State chapter, led by Hon. Ekpomokumo Doutimiaeyo, pledged full support for AWAGBV’s initiatives. He affirmed the group’s readiness to work together in protecting female persons with disabilities from all forms of abuse.
The unveiling of the secretariat and the rollout of the five-year action plan marks a new chapter in the battle against GBV in Nigeria, with Bayelsa State positioned as a leading voice in the nationwide movement for gender justice and survivor empowerment.
