By Mercy Onyenweli
Ahead of Saturday 21st September Governorship election in Edo State, a Civil Society Organization, (CSO) has launched a mobile App , SMARTRR for the purpose of reporting election Violence against Women and vulnerable during and after election.
The big family 360 Foundation in collaboration with Rally for Peace Conveners said that the need for report of violence cases and response became necessary due to threats of violence from the political class in the state.
The Executive Director of the foundation , Dirug Samuel while explaining to Newsmen how Edo People can maximize the use of the app during the election, he stressed that all Edo People should download the app from playstore on their mobile phone or dail ×347×3090# to report cases,
“We are here in Edo State to pilot the use of the application on SMART Report and Referral for violence against women and the vulnerable during election. This is a laudable initiative because we know that violence has been perpetrated against women, girls and vulnerable population during elections which stops them from exercising their civic rights. We are here to deploy the SMARTRR to enable women report all forms of violence perpetrated against them during this election” he said.
Also speaking, the Chief Responsibility of Josemaria Escriva Foundation (JOSEF), Ekpoma and Co-Convener of Rally for Peaceful Election, Dr. Jude Obasanmi, noted that research has shown that people are violated during elections, hence the CSOs are collaborating to create awareness on the use of the app to report cases of violence during elections.
“We are using the opportunity to create awareness for people to be conscious particularly when it comes to Gender Based Violence. Based on research we realise that during elections people are usually violated, that’s why we are collaborating to have this programme so that if you go to the polling unit to vote on election day, you can on the spot report violence against potential voters. So this programme is to introduce the app to CSOs who can also share among their network and platforms”.
Also speaking, Convener, Rally for Peaceful Election, Dr. Bright Oniovokukor, Convener pointed out that the programme is part of activities lined up by Rally for Peaceful Election to ensure there’s peace during the Edo governorship election.
According to Oniovokukor, “This programme is part of activities we’ve been having as a build up to the election. We have five episodes, four before the election and one after the election.
This particular one is also to give us opportunity to demonstrate the workings of a particular app that will enable people to seek for help, seek for support seek for assistance, whether it is security, violence or whatever. That will also assure people that if you are a crisis situation during the election you call for support using the app and it will also encourage people to come out to vote during the election”.
The SMARTRR has a unique feature that makes the person reporting anonimous, so there’s no fear of reprisal from perpetrators.