Staff of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) and agencies of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) wrapped up their 16-days of activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) on Tuesday, 10 December 2024.
PJ Usanga – Abuja
At a special thanksgiving Mass at the St. Gabriel Chaplaincy, the Episcopal Secretary for Migrants and Refugees unit, Fr. Augustine Akhogba, in his homily, emphasised the importance of hope and resilience in the face of adversity. Quoting from the book of Isaiah, Fr. Akhogba reminded the congregation that despite difficulties, God remains the higher source of comfort and aid.
Commit to ending GBV
Fr. Akhogba urged the congregation to remain committed to the mission of promoting human dignity and ending Gender-Based Violence.
He emphasised: “We thank God for the work that is being done, and we call on everyone to fight against this social evil in our society. We should collectively ensure that the dignity of the human person is respected in the world in which we live.”
After the Mass, an interactive session was held with CSN staff and CBCN agencies to discuss their understanding and personal experiences with GBV. The session was designed to foster collective action.
16 days of activism
Every year, from 25 November to 10 December, the world observes the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, a campaign that aims to raise awareness and mobilise action to end all forms of violence against women and girls. By participating in the 16vdays of activism, the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria and the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria seek to promote human dignity and creates a society free from not only gender-based violence but all other human rights violations.
