GBV: WIPF Condemns Attack, Humiliation Of Female Lawmaker Nwala In Rivers State

 

Attack, Humiliation Of Cynthia Nwala; Threat To Existence Of Female Politicians. -WIPF 

The president of Women In Politics Forum (WIPF) Barr Ebere Ifendu on Thursday October 7 2021 issued a statement condemning the incident which occurred on Monday, 4th of October, 2021, according to Ifendu, " It is an incident which threatened the existence of female politicians anywhere in the world, "

Read Statement In Full : 

This incident occurred in the premises of the Etche Local Government Legislative Council in Rivers State, Nigeria. 

On the said day, there was an attack on the person of Mrs. Cynthia Nwala, the leader of the legislative council, on the grounds that she attempted to leave the premises with the maze. The female law maker was assaulted and harassed to the point of being stripped of her clothing.

This action is an infringement of her fundamental human right to dignity of her person which is enshrined in Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended that provides that every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person and accordingly, no person shall be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment. The fact that her fundamental right was infringed upon without any thought to her person goes to show that there is really no regard for her person more or less her status as a female politician. More so, there have been incidences where male legislators have taken possession of the maze to leave premises and never has it been heard that such a degrading treatment was meted out to them. This is unacceptable as it is clearly a gender-based violence against a woman in politics.

We are not silent on this matter as any matter which affects a female politician negatively or positively in whatever part of the world, directly affects the women in politics, the people whose cause we are championing. We thereby call on the Governor of Rivers State, the Inspector General of Police, to not only address this issue but to ensure that those involved in this degrading and inhuman act are accordingly prosecuted and made an example of, for if this matter is not properly addressed and justice is not properly served, it would make a clear statement that the lives of female politicians are of no value and this would be a great injustice and deterrent to the participation of women in the Nigerian political scene.