Dame Judith Amaechi, wife of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has advocated stiffer penalty against gender based violence in the country.

This was at an event organised to commemorate the 2021 international day for elimination of violence against women and the accompanying 16 days of activism against gender based violence 2021 in Abuja.

The event which was held at the congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja had the wife of the President of Nigeria, H.E (Dr) Aisha Muhammadu Buhari as a special Guest of Honour, H.E (Mrs) Oludolapo Osinbajo, wife of the Vice – President of Nigeria, and other prominent Personalities from different spheres of Life.

Mrs Amaechi while speaking to newsmen stated that despite 30 years of the international 16 days of activism campaign against violence against women, the reality shows that gender based violence is on the increase in the country.

Dame Judith Amaechi whose NGO the Empowerment Support Initiative has been on the forefront of mainstreaming gender and protecting gender equality added that persons who violate women be subjected to mental examinations and punished accordingly, “most women suffer psychological imbalance as result of domestic violence ,this is the reality and unacceptable, those who perpetuate this act be subjected to mental evaluation and examinations and thereafter punished accordingly”.

She added that campaign should be extended to educational and religious institutions, ” we need to take this campaign beyond the street to schools, primary, secondary and post secondary schools as well as churches to enable us drive this campaign with the aim of actualising the objectives by 2030 and beyond”

Mrs Amaechi further added that campaign messages should also be translated in local language to help rural populace join in the advocacy.

The theme for this year’s 16 days of activism against Gender based violence is “orange the world: End violence against women now”.