By Claribel Udah
The Obi of Onitsha, Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe has called for greater collaboration among traditional institutions, families, religious organizations and community stakeholders in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV).
The monarch made the call during a strategic engagement with members of the Onitsha Advancement Foundation (OnAF) Gender-Based Violence Team at the Ime Obi Palace, Onitsha, on June 4.
Speaking during the meeting, Igwe Achebe stressed that tackling gender-based violence requires collective leadership and community ownership to create safer homes and healthier communities.
The engagement provided an opportunity for the OnAF GBV Team to brief the monarch on progress made in its intervention efforts, including findings from months of community engagements, stakeholder consultations and recommendations gathered across Onitsha communities, highlighting challenges affecting the implementation of ongoing programmes.
Responding to the presentation, the Obi of Onitsha noted that traditional institutions play a vital role in shaping societal values, supporting initiatives that protect vulnerable members of society.
According to him, sustainable solutions to gender-based violence can only be achieved when communities move beyond discussions and actively take ownership of prevention and response mechanisms.
Discussions during the meeting focused on practical strategies for strengthening survivor support systems, expanding community awareness campaigns, improving structures for reporting and intervention.
Members of the OnAF team described the engagement as another significant milestone in efforts to break the culture of silence surrounding abuse and promote stronger accountability mechanisms across Onitsha and neighbouring communities.
They noted that the monarch’s continued interest and support for the initiative would further strengthen advocacy efforts, particularly given the influential role of traditional leadership in driving social change at the grassroots level.
The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment from both the Obi of Onitsha and the OnAF Gender-Based Violence Team to sustain dialogue, strengthen partnerships and expand community-led approaches aimed at preventing gender-based violence.
Udah is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
