In a landmark move to promote gender justice and human dignity, His Royal Highness, Edidem Sylvanus Effiong Okon, Paramount Ruler of Uyo Kingdom, has issued a binding public declaration abolishing all forms of gender-based violence [GBV] and harmful traditional practices within the Uyo community.
The declaration, made on 8th May 2025, followed months of in-depth consultations with elders, youth leaders, religious figures, women’s groups, and the broader community.
In collaboration with the Women At Risk International Foundation (WARIF) and UN Women, with funding from Ford Foundation, the initiative reflects a unified stand against practices that have long endangered the rights and well-being of women and girls.
According to His Royal Highness, “effective immediately, the following practices are abolished within the State: wife battery and all forms of domestic violence; Female Genital Mutilation (FGM); Denial of inheritance rights to widows and other forms of economic disempowerment; Sexual violence, abuse, and exploitation.”
His Royal Highness emphasised that any individual found promoting, practising, or defending these outlawed acts would face both traditional and legal consequences, “as such behaviour stands against the values of justice, equity, and the collective conscience of the Uyo people.”
“This decision reflects our unwavering commitment to uphold human dignity, ensure gender justice, and foster a society grounded in peace, respect, and shared humanity,” His Royal Highness Edidem Okon stated.
Represented by the National Programmes Officer for UN Women, Ms Patience Ekeoba, the Country Representative to Nigeria, Ms Beatrice Eyong, applauded the paramount ruler and traditional council for this bold step, stating that traditional and religious actors should challenge harmful practices that directly or indirectly accommodate violence against women and girls.
A statement by UN Women, stated that moving forward, Uyo Kingdom will partner the Government of Akwa Ibom State, WARIF, UN Women, and other stakeholders to implement community-based guidelines, launch education and awareness campaigns, support survivors, and establish accountability mechanisms to ensure the declaration is fully realised.
The statement said the historic declaration positioned Uyo Kingdom as a beacon of progress in the region and reaffirms the community’s united stand to protect and empower every woman and girl.
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