Women
CENGOs Seek End To Gender-Based Violence
The Coalition of Eastern Non-Governmental Organizations (CENGOs), Rivers State, has called for an end to gender-based violence in Nigeria. This took pkace in a media roundtable discussion held in Port Harcourt, recently, by the NGO, to mark this year’s United Nations (UN) Women 16 Days of activism to end the increase in gender-based violence.
The CENGOs Rivers State Coordinator, Barr. Dumka David, who was represented by a member of CENGOs, Pastor James Chukwu stated that in line with the UN women as well as this year’s theme: “Generation Equality: Stands Against Rape,” CENGOs is doing a Step-It-Up Campaign to commemorate this year’s 16 Days of activism to put an end to Gender-based violence in the state and country at large.
The State Coordinator explained that the purpose of the media roundtable discussion and Step-It-Up Campaign is to ensure the media, parents, law makers, religious and traditional institutions, among others in the society, is properly informed on the rising spate of rape and gender-based violence in the society. He added that by so doing, everyone would collectively join forces to advocate for a society free of gender-based violence.
She outlined part of CENGOs’ activities to mark the event, to include; the training of secondary school teachers, counselors and students, so they would in turn become Peer Educator Trainers (PETs) on sexual and reproductive health right in their various schools .
In an interview with The Tide, the CENGOs Rivers State programme officer, Franklyn Nelson, described gender-based violence as violence directed against a person because of their gender, adding that both women and men experience gender-based violence, but the majority of victims are women, girls and boys.
He noted that gender-based violence is inflicted on women and girls by men, saying that it highlights the fact that many forms of violence against women and girls are rooted in power inequalities between men and women.
Meanwhile, the programme officer had said that the media stands as a powerful tool in sensitizing the public whenever things are not going on well in the society.
He therefore, called for ambassadors in the advocacy for the reduction of gender-based violence, was mandatory for all to pass the message that sexual violence against anybody was violence against the law, hence must not be treated with levity.
Nelson said that the essence of the event was to create awareness and advocate for the reduction of gender-based violence in homes, schools, communities and public places, among others, as well as advocating for sexual and reproductive health right, while calling on other NGOs to advocate for the reduction of gender-based violence in the society.
The state programme officer also explained that CENGOs is currently working with five schools in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, where teachers, counselors and students are being trained so they could in turn train students to become peer educators, thereby forming PET clubs in secondary schools to ensure gender-based violence is realistically reduced in the society.
“We want to achieve a situation whereby students in secondary schools are able to build the capacities of others on sexual reproductive health right. Some of the schools include: Government Comprehensve Secondary School, Borikiri, Model Girls Secondary School, Rumueme, Community Secondary School, Nkpolu and Community Secondary School, Amadi-Ama, among others.”
He blamed parents for the escalation of rape and gender-based violence as their silence had helped in promoting the spread of rape and gender-based violence in the society. According to him, “The only thing needed for evil men to continue their evil act, is when good people keep quiet which is simply telling perpetrators to go ahead and molest our children.”
He revealed that there were laws backing women, who are victims of rape and thereby called on parents to break the silence over rape victims by exposing these evil perpetrators as continuous silence only exposes innocent ones to continuous molestation, while perpetrators go scot-free with their evil acts and continue to spread it all over in the society.
By: Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi & Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
IVY-K Fashion by Igiebor Daddy Lucky, a Nigerian-born designer now based in the UK, has launched the latest menswear line, Dapper Man.
One of the collection’s strengths is its classic, clean aesthetic. Dapper Man delivers sharp, structured suits in a timeless black and white color scheme that exudes a sense of luxury and professionalism. The use of high-quality fabrics like wool and silk ensures that the suits not only look high-end but also feel luxurious to the wearer. The designer’s focus on detail is evident in the meticulous tailoring, with fitted blazers and crisp trousers forming the foundation of the collection.
Where IVY-K Fashion shines is in the subtle yet elegant touches. The inclusion of beads as embellishments on lapels and cuffs adds a unique flair, blending traditional craft with modern tailoring. This nod to African heritage gives the collection a distinct identity, offering something more personal and culturally significant than your standard menswear line.
However, despite the elegance of the Dapper Man collection, there is a lingering sense of missed opportunity. The black-and-white color palette, while classic, feels overly safe. In a fashion landscape where bold colors and daring patterns often make the strongest impact, the collection could benefit from incorporating more vibrant hues or experimenting with unconventional fabrics. Pushing the envelope with color or texture could elevate these designs from simply elegant to truly memorable.
In addition, while the tailoring of the blazers and trousers is immaculate, the collection lacks a sense of playfulness or modern edge that many contemporary menswear lines are embracing. The suits are undoubtedly stylish, but the collection as a whole leans heavily on tradition. Experimenting with asymmetrical cuts, bold patterns, or even layering could add an exciting dimension to Dapper Man. The challenge is to maintain the sleek sophistication of the collection while infusing it with a fresh, innovative spirit.
Another area that could use improvement is the overall cohesion of the collection. While the suits are well-crafted, there is a feeling of repetition across the pieces. More variation in design, such as different lapel styles, pocket configurations, or even bolder accessories, would give the collection greater diversity and visual interest.
In conclusion, Dapper Man by Igiebor Daddy Lucky showcases the designer’s strong grasp of classic tailoring and elegant design, but to truly capture the attention of a broader audience, IVY-K Fashion would benefit from more daring choices. By infusing the collection with bold colors, unexpected textures, and a more modern edge, Dapper Man could move from a well-crafted line to a trendsetting force in men’s fashion. With such a solid foundation, there’s no doubt that Igiebor Daddy Lucky has the potential to lead his brand toward greater heights
The trend of indecent dressing all in the name of fashion is fast becoming a norm in our generation and society at large. Most married women embrace this fashion as competition with single ladies.
Different scholars have given an in depth insight about dressing as a tool of communication. Non-verbal communication has been asserted as the communication between people by the means of signs or symbols. It conveys what we wish to disseminate to the public as either intentionally or not.
According to Paul Ekman and Michael Argyle, communication is carried out through what has been classified as “Presentational Code”. He listed nine codes of non-verbal communication, as body contact, facial expression, gestures, postures, eye movement, proximity, orientation, head nods and appearance.
This, being stated, married and single ladies should understand that their mode of dressing is communicative be it directly or indirectly as such body parts we call “private” are now being made public because of the trends or wearing of transparent dresses and this in turn calls on the attention of men who are weak and prone to illicit thoughts thus, resulting to most rape cases in our society.
This indecent dressing by most ladies has denied many their future husbands. The truth is that a man is attracted to his kind; his desires in marriage. It is often asserted that decency and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder, yet, in trending times of this 21st century, dress code and fashion in nudity form is gaining popularity.
This has become complicated as most men tend to toggle between their emotions (lust) and sanity (rationality) in terms of marriage, thereby setting a wrong foundation upon which most marriages are consummated.
On the other hand, most married women have embraced the trend of indecent dressing nipping it on the state of it being the choice dressing, approved by their spouses, leaving society with the question of what “responsible” man would prefer that the secrecy of the benefit of his marital vow has become the centre of attraction and viewership by the general public.
Hence, communicating with their dressing gas given licence to every male gender who is interested or attracted to what they see to make unsolicited sexual passes at them, which might be considered embarrassing.
At this juncture, it is important to state that ladies should dress decently knowing that they are the epitome of nation-building, they are nation-builders, character moulders and pacesetters not just in the lives of their families but to the society at large.
In most occasions, there are no clear border lines between the married women and the single ladies because of the rate of scanty dressing which has close the gap of differences.
Women and girls should embrace this call awakening to decent mode of dressing. Dresses that are meant to be worn indoors should remain indoors.
It is worrisome to see ladies wear shorts that are supposed to be worn in the living room on the streets without shame. This is an awakening call to our ladies, married and singles that the opposite sex do not expose their private body parts for the public. Sometimes, the ladies go about in the streets without wearing brazziers as to showcase their nipples.
The society should be sanitised of the menace of indecent dressing that is lurking and taking over the entire nooks and crannies of the society and the nation at large.
Let it be known that he or she is addressed in the manner he or she is dressed. There may be no room for a second impression. To the single ladies, your dressing decently will not stop you from meeting your Mr Right rather, it will increase your stake and place you on the list of most valued women in the society.
Dressing speaks louder than words.
Kate Chisom Isiocha
Isiocha is an OND final year student of Temple Gate Polytechnic.
