Niger Gov. Bello inaugurates committee on Gender-Based violence

Gov. Abubakar Sani-Bello of Niger, on Monday inaugurated a 20-man management committee to address the issues of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), in the state.

Report gathered by newsmen says that the committee is to be chaired by Dr Amina Bello, Wife of the governor, while Hajiya Fati Tasala, the state’s Commissioner of Women Affairs, will serve as Vice-Chairperson of the committee.

Bello, while inaugurating the committee, said that going by the global trend, gender-based violence was now being considered an abuse of fundamental human rights, as both women and men were affected by the menace.

The governor, who described members of the committee as “capable and committed to pave way for a better society”, said its core mandate was to address issues of GBV in the state.

Responding, Mrs Bello noted that the statistics of GBV in Niger State were worrisome, with an increasing number in the cases of rape of old women, to children of less than three months.

She said in 2020 alone, about 133 cases were reported to RAYUWA center (the centre that deals with cases of sexual violence).

According to her, for the committee to be able to deliver on its mandate, there was need for public support to end ugly practices such as female genital mutilation, inmate partner violence, physical, sexual, verbal, emotional and psychological abuse, among others.

She disclosed that in this regard, some foundations with the support of Action Aid Group and Ministry of Women Affairs, had renovated a three-bedroom to serve as a temporary safe house for victims of GBV.

Mrs Bello therefore, called on the state government to ensure implementation of the GBV law, support the center, and also replicate such across the 25 local government areas of the state.