How Ayade's Wife is Curtailing the 'Money Marriage' Practice In Cross River, Asibong Tells UN, EU, Human Rights Commission in Abuja

How Ayade's Wife is Curtailing the 'Money Marriage' Practice In Cross River, Asibong Tells UN, EU, Human Rights Commission in Abuja

The efforts of the wife of Cross River State Governor, Dr Linda Ayade to fight the practice of 'Money Marriage' in Becheve community of Obanliku Local Government Area  of Cross River State, took the centre Stage at the two days event organised by the National Human Right Commission in Collaboration with the United Nations and  European Union. 

The workshop which held at Lagos Hall, Transcorp Hilton Abuja, was where the Commissioner For International Development Cooperation, Inyang Asibong gave the expository of the Cross River Challenge. 

Dr Ayade had through her Mediatrix Foundation intervened and engaged the communities involved in the act ,through the traditional rulers, religious leaders,the Media as well as Civil Society organizations.

The Governor's wife efforts according to Asibong had  increased advocacy to policy makers and community leaders, expanded efforts to educate, sensitize and provide a platform for the people of Becheve and Utanga communities to discuss issues related to gender-based violence.

Asibong explained how Cross River State Government had also set up a high-powered Committee through the effort of the wife of the Governor in a bid  to end the inhumane cultural practice of money-Girl-marriage which she described as a form of Gender-based Violence. 

She explained the Cross River Challenge and the effort of the State Government with hope that the United Nations (UN), European Union (EU) and other International Donors will partner the state Government and possibly be on ground in Becheve to see things for themselves.

According to Asibong,the plight of the girl-child should  be a collective concern to ,with a drive to end human right abuses in the Country.

“These young girls  are married out to pay debts owed by their parents.This marriage could take place at age five, three, and sometimes even before their conception, they are already sold to pay debts.  This can go on for decades, so it’s a form of child slavery.

"It has been an age long cutlural practices which have been transferred from generation to generation.But what I came here to tell you is that Cross River State Government has taken it as a challenge and we are solving the problem using the political will of the Governor and special support of the wife ,Dr Linda Ayade.

"Ladies and gentlemen,it is better to be there than said because it is real and Onbehalf of His Excellency, I wish to call for immediate support and partnership between Cross River State Government and the United Nations ,The European Union and other Development Partners to end the practice of 'Money Marriage' in the State, she added.