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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Federal Government on Friday joined the global community to flag off activities of the 16-Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence to commemorate 2022 with the theme: “Unite! Activism to end Violence Against Women and Girls.”
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign which kicks off annually on 25 November; designated as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and runs until 10 December, which is another important event designated as Human Rights Day.
Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, at a world conference in Abuja, to flag off the activities, noted that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has demonstrated high commitment not only to eliminate harmful practices against women and girls; but also, to curb the rampaging impact of COVID-19 pandemic and other Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV)
She also hailed government at all levels for their continuous positive respond to address the unacceptable trends and patterns of GBV through survivor-centred essential services across policing, justice, health, and social sectors, and improved financing for the women’s rights agenda.
“It is on record that more than ever before, survivors are now speaking out and reporting these violations and seeking for legal and judicial assistance.”
She particularly hailed the United Nations for declaring November 18 as World Day Aimed at Ending Child Sexual Exploitation and Violence, Bringing Hope and Healing to Survivors
“The day will also be used to stress the need for prevention, for perpetrators to be brought to justice, and for victims to be given a voice as part of the long process of healing. The resolution, which was sponsored by Sierra Leone and Nigeria and co-sponsored by more than 110 countries, was adopted by consensus and a bang of the gavel by the Assembly’s Acting President, which was greeted with loud applause.”
The Minister regretted that available statistics revealed that in Nigeria, 30 per cent of girls and women aged between 15 and 49 have experienced sexual abuse.
According to her, “Insurgency, protracted conflicts, new trends in kidnapping and the recent flood which swept across the country have only served to worsen the occurrence of GBV. Harmful practices such as child marriage are prevalent in Nigeria, with 43 per cent of girls married before the age of 18; while 20 per cent of women aged 15 to 49 have undergone FGM.”
She applauded 34 out of the 36 states of the federation that have domesticated the Child Rights Act, 2003 dealing with issues of child abuse, child labour, forced marriage among others in Nigeria. And also domesticating the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (2015).
She, however urged them to go beyond domestication to implementation.
Tallen said: “As we on-board more States onto the National Situation Room and Dash Board on Gender-Based Violence, I am sure that the number of prosecuted cases will greatly improve as we are witnessing that the lack of survivor-sensitive approaches in court procedures and delay in all stages of proceedings are gradually changing and more States are setting up Special Courts to speed up the justice system. We are also happy to note the emergence of more Sexual Assault Referral Centres.
“However, I want to appeal to our Development partners to support the acquisition of more forensic machines to make it easy to carry out test of rape cases in the country, as the existing ones can only be accessed in Adamawa and Lagos States. More safe spaces are needed to cater for the need of GBV victims.
The UN Women Country Representative to Nigeria, Beatrice Eyong, said the focus on GBV is because it is not just an health issue but also an economic issue.
She noted that World Bank study shows that countries that do take GBV seriously discover the scourge is detrimental to their economic growth and reduces their GDP.
She also said this year’s theme is apt because GBV is now a pandemic with over one billion women facing GBV
She added that it was unacceptable that over 30% of women and girls in Nigeria have are reported to have experienced GBV.
High commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Jamie Christoff said GBV is not a private issue but that everyone has a role to play to end the scourge.
He regretted that GBV is becoming normalized whether at school, IDP camps, social media among others, and perpetrators often to unpunished.
He said Canada is committed to elongating all forms of GBV. He said Canada recognizes and supports that supporting equality is the fastest way to build a more prosperous world.
Ambassador of the European Union to Nigeria and to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Samuela ISOPI, said violence against women and girls is not an excuse, it is a human rights abuse and a crime, adding that change is not inevitable.
The Ambassador of Spain to Nigeria, Juan Ignacio Sell, declared “no woman no Nigeria, no world worth living in.”
He commended the Minister of Women of Affairs for her outstanding performance in pushing GBV to front burner.
The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, on her part urged that all the achievements recorded on GBV must continue saying: “every steps forward we must fight for it and make sure we are parts taking any two steps back.”
She described the minister as an inspiration for keeping women and girls issues on the front burner particularly with the domestication of the Child Rights Act in 34 states.
