In a decisive move to combat the rising wave of gender-based violence in Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State, a stakeholders’ workshop was held by the Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF), in partnership with UN Women. The event brought together traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth groups, and community members in a bid to address the alarming rates of abuse, assault, and harmful traditional practices in the region.
WARIF, a leading non-governmental organization focused on combating violence against women and girls, launched its operations in Cross River in October 2024. Since then, Akamkpa has emerged as a critical area of focus due to the disturbing number of gender-based violence cases reported across its communities.
The urgency of the issue was underscored by a recent brutal case where a man viciously attacked his wife and daughter with a machete and allegedly attempted to retrieve a gun to finish them off. Such incidents, according to WARIF Programme Manager in Cross River, Princess Felicia Ikpo, are not isolated. She revealed a growing pattern of wife battery, sexual abuse, forced marriages, child rape, widowhood rituals, female genital mutilation, corporal punishment, and psychological violence plaguing the local government.
Ikpo emphasized that involving traditional and religious leaders was a strategic step towards dismantling cultural norms that perpetuate violence. As part of the initiative, community sensitization walks and public declarations by traditional rulers were held, leading to a new era where female circumcision, intimate partner violence, child abuse, and rape are now deemed serious crimes in Akamkpa with clear consequences for perpetrators.
She also recounted a heartbreaking case of a young boy beaten to death by his father simply for eating food while hawking, an example of the deadly impact of unchecked child abuse.
The workshop, which resonated across various segments of the community, concluded with a strong condemnation of all forms of gender-based violence not just in Akamkpa but throughout rural Cross River. Stakeholders committed to community-driven solutions and sustainable change.
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Speaking at the event, the Cross River State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hon. Edema Irom, represented by the Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics, Mr. Moaes Bassey Abam, commended WARIF for organizing the sensitization campaign. He expressed optimism that the awareness being created would drastically reduce the prevalence of harmful practices and gender-based crimes.
The commissioner urged that the sensitization program be expanded to other local government areas, noting that the Ministry of Women Affairs is currently overwhelmed with unresolved gender violence cases from across the state.
With this intensified effort, WARIF and its partners are setting a precedent in Cross River, one that signals zero tolerance for abuse and prioritizes the safety, dignity, and rights of women and children in every community.
