By Joshua Akor
The Benue State government has expressed concern over reported cases of Gender Based Violence, GBV, in Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps in the state.
The government promised to intensify sensitization and campaigns against the menace in the camps in state in order to stem it.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare Mrs. Theresa Ikwue made this known Tuesday when she visited some of the IDPs camps in the state.
The Commissioner said the step by Ministry had become necessary given the complaints about the menace in the camps.
Mrs. Ikwue who visited the IDPs camps located at the Ultra Modern International Market and Ichwa both in Makurdi expressed worry that women who were going through the trauma of displacement were being subjected to the menace of GBV.
She assured that henceforth GBV officers would be deployed to the IDPs camp to ensure continous tracking and monitoring of activities in the camps.
“It is unacceptable that despite being faced with the psychological trauma of being displaced and living in IDPs some women are still being tormented by the dehumanising act.
“The Ministry of Women Affairs will intensify campaigns and sensitization against GBV at the camps in the state,” she said.
The Commissioner promised to synergise with her counterparts in the Ministry of Health and that of Education to ensure the realisation of the administration’s charge on vulnerable persons.
The Camp Manager of International Market Camp, Mr. Robert Nyom informed the Commissioner that the camp was faced with the challenge of water and sanitation facilities while his counterpart at Ichwa said the camp was in need of sanitary pads and toiletries among others needs.
The Commissioner was accompanied on the visit by her counterpart in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Mr. Aondowase Kunde.
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