Obinna Ogbonnaya
Abakaliki
The European Union-United Nations Spotlight initiative (EU-UN) yesterday called on the Ebonyi State Government, the Traditional Leaders and other relevant authorities in the State to work assiduously towards ending the obnoxious law in some communities where women and girls are denied inheritance by family members.
A Child Protection Specialist, United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF, Enugu Field Office, Mr. Victor Atuchukwu made the call during a 3-Day Capacity Building on Child Protection Case Management and Community Dialogue for Abakaliki Local Government Area End VAC/VAWG Community Surveillance Teams.
The Dialogue which was organized by the Ebonyi State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development with support from EU-UN Spotlight initiative is aimed at dialoguing with traditional leaders and others on ending all forms of violence against women and girls in the LGA.
Mr. Atuchukwu noted that denial of female children parental inheritance has been an aged long tradition in Ebonyi State adding that EU-UN Spotlight initiative have continued to take the campaign against such norms to the rural communities with the aim of ending it.
He pointed out that it is against the law for relations to deny the female child the inheritance of the father because she is a girl child or woman adding that such practice should negates equity and justice which the Nigeria constitution stipulates.
According to him, “Nigeria and Ebonyi State in particular has domisticated the Child Right Law, the VAP law and other Government policy documents which protects women and girls but unfortunately, violence against women and girls are domicile in the rural communities”.
“To end violence against women and girls, there is the need for community commitment. The community must own the process for it to see the light of the day. Beating of women, denial of female inheritance and Female Genital Mutilation is still seen as a culture and norm in some communities. The men needs reorientation”.
A participants who is also the Traditional Ruler of Ndiagu Okpoitumo Community in Abakaliki local government area, His Royal Highness, Eze Pius Nwangele argued that it is still difficult for his community to accept the equal sharing of family inheritance with a female child.
Eze Nwangele noted that while the issue of Female Genital Mutilation is drastically reducing in the state, some community are yet to accept ending the practice of female inheritance.
He noted that with continues dialogue and sensitization, the norm might be changed but noted that it calls for concerted effort on the part of government, the traditional leaders and other relevant authorities.
A Youth Leader, Mr. Chukwuemeka Mbam from Unuhu Community in Abakaliki LGA expressed the regret that in the past many women have lost their farm lands to family relation for their inability to have a male child adding that it is now a crime for such practice in Unuhu Community.
He commended the EU-UN Spotlight initiative for the sensitization and urged them to take the massage to other parts of the state especially where the practice is predominant. Ends.
