Uzodimma Urges Traditional, Religious Leaders To Champion Fight Against Gender-Based Violence

The wife of the Imo State Governor, Mrs Chioma Uzodimma has called on traditional rulers, religious leaders and community stakeholders to take the lead in ending gender-based violence, insisting that harmful cultural practices can only be dismantled through sustained grassroots advocacy and collective action.

She made this call in Owerri, the Imo State capital, at a two-day advocacy programme and town hall meeting on the prevention of gender-based violence, organised by the Nigeria Governors Spouses' Forum in partnership with the Ford Foundation.

The programme, themed “Empowering Grassroots Champions for Gender-Based Violence Prevention,” brought together wives of local government chairmen, traditional rulers, religious leaders, women leaders and community advocates to strengthen community-based efforts at preventing violence against women and girls.

Addressing participants, the First Lady described the gathering as “more than an advocacy engagement,” saying it was “a call to leadership and collective responsibility.”

According to her, many harmful practices have endured because they have been accepted and normalised over generations, stressing that trusted community leaders have a critical role to play in changing such narratives.

She said, “Social norms can change when trusted voices speak differently, consistently and courageously. Every one of you gathered here represents such a trusted voice.

“As wives of local government chairmen, you stand at the intersection of governance and community life. You often hear the whispers before they become crises and notice the warning signs before they become painful statistics.”

Uzodimma said the advocacy initiative was designed to equip participants as community gender-based violence champions capable of promoting justice, healing and lawful interventions rather than confrontation.

She also urged traditional rulers and religious leaders to use their influence to discourage harmful practices and protect vulnerable members of society.

“Violence is not culture. Abuse is not discipline. Protecting women and girls does not weaken society; it strengthens it,” she said.

The First Lady added that faith and traditional institutions remained powerful platforms for promoting justice, compassion and peace, urging community leaders to speak openly against violence and support survivors.

She said, “When leaders stand together, silence is broken. When silence is broken, change begins.”

Earlier, the programme facilitator and Director in the Imo State Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs Blessing Azubuike, said the engagement was aimed at taking the campaign against gender-based violence beyond government institutions to the grassroots.

She noted that the active participation of traditional rulers, religious leaders and community influencers would help challenge harmful social norms, improve reporting of abuse and strengthen community response mechanisms.

Azubuike urged participants to become advocates in their respective communities, saying prevention remained the most effective strategy for reducing cases of gender-based violence.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Imo State Governor on Sustainable Development Goals, Mrs Chinenyenwa Owuamalam, described the initiative as a critical step towards achieving inclusive and sustainable development.

She said gender-based violence undermines the health, education and economic wellbeing of women and girls, adding that ending the menace was essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Owuamalam commended the First Lady for championing community-driven interventions, expressing confidence that the advocacy would inspire lasting behavioural change across the state.

Participants at the meeting also pledged to intensify awareness campaigns within their communities and collaborate with relevant authorities to prevent abuse, protect survivors and promote safer homes and communities.

The two-day programme features community dialogues, advocacy sessions, the unveiling of public awareness materials and the inauguration of a network of grassroots advocates expected to drive sustained campaigns against gender-based violence across Imo State.