…Minister describes trend as unacceptable
By Gloria Akudoro, Abuja
The Minister of Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Hon. Dame Pauline Tallen, United Nations (UN) and European Union (EU), have condemned the alarming number of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases in Nigeria.
She described as unacceptable and pledged to intensify efforts in collaboration with Ministry of Justice to ensure justice for victim and survivors.
The Minister stated this in her briefing during the flag-off compaign against sexual and Gender-Based Violence in collaboration with United Nation(UN) and European Union(EU) in Abuja
With the Theme, “Orange the World: End Violence Against Women Now,” Minister stressed that this year Programme marks 30 years of campaign initiated in 1991 by the first Women Global Leadership Institute.
She noted that orange has been adopted colour to denote anti-violence and equality in view of it bright and optimistic nature.
She disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari in his 2022 budget statement to the National Assembly has given directives to ministries, department and agencies to devote some amount in their budgets to address gender related issues in the country is completely eradicated or brought to it barest minimum.
Tallen urged the remaining states to join the rest of the 33 states in the fight for women and girls related violence.
According to her, “Based on the available statistics from the National Situation Room and Dashboard set up by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs under the UN/EU spotlight initiative targeting 6 states supported by UNDP as at yesterday, 24th November, 2021, the total number of cases reported is 5,204 while 3,125 survivors are demanding justice, only 33 perpetrators have so far be convicted representing 0.51 per cent. Fatal cases are 160 while 231 are closed cases and 972 are cases pending in the court.
“This trend is unacceptable, we will intensify efforts with the Federal Ministry of Justice to ensure justice for victims and survivors. Due to the effectiveness of this medium in providing real time data, we will upscale the project to cover the remaining states. And Mr President has shown high Commitment to eliminate harmful practices against women and girls and also curb rampaging impact of covid-19 pandemic and other SGBV.
“Initially, only 6 states domesticated the Violence Against Prohibition now scaled up to 33 states while the Child Right Act only domesticated in 7 states now scaled up to 27 states. We look forward for the remaining 9 states to follow suit.
In her remarks, the UN-Women Country Representative, Comfort Lamptey, said despite the success have been recorded, however GBV has remained the biggest threat to rwomen’s right globally.
Lamptey explained statistics of women faced with gender related issues, noting that Nigeria has 28% per cent of women aged bracket of 15 and 49 years experience down fall of physical violence, while 68% per cent have reported life time physical and post sexual intimate partners violence.
Lamptey stressed the UN-WOMEN observed 5-fold increase of GBV at the initial stage of COVID-19 lock down. Adding that 1 in 5 women feels unsafe at home while 3 in 5 women face more insecurity outside their homes.
She said the event is a wake up call for more concerted and delibrate actions to tackle the problem from it root.
Meanwhile, the National Programme Manager, Rule of Law and Anti-corruption (RoLAC), Danladi Plang, commended all efforts made by individuals and groups as well as development partners to end issues of GBV. He said with continued collaboration the task against women and girls violence will be achieved.
Ambassador, Delegation to the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Samuels Isopi, said issues of GBV remain largely unreported all over the globe and the stigma and lack of confidence surrounding it result to many unpunished perpetrators.
She noted that despite the progress achieved in Nigeria in improving the framework and raising awareness for basic services, the scale of the process remains alarming. Therefore, the EU is focusing on fighting impunity and the need for increased persecutional centres.
Isopi stressed EU will continue its efforts to around the world and in Nigeria including bringing to the spotlight a EU/UN global program to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.