Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
The Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, has registered her displeasure over the continued rate of gender-based violence (GBV) in the country, which she described as alarming.
Tallen made this known in Abuja at the opening of a two-day capacity building workshop for journalists on the national communication strategy on ending all forms of gender-based violence and harmful practices against women and girls in Nigeria.
The workshop was aimed at equipping journalists with knowledge of how to report gender-based violence and harmful practices.
Represented by the principal community development officer in the ministry, Abia Udeme Nsikak, Tallen said the advocacy against all forms of gender-based violence was synonymous with defending and sustaining human rights of citizens.
According to her, GBV and violence against women and girls (VAWG) affect the communities, women and girls, men and boys differently, just as she called on all hands to be on deck to totally eliminate the menace.
“The scale of sexual gender-based violence, violence against women and girls and discrimination is alarming. The spike, pattern, trends and the consequences of these forms of violence impact negatively on individuals, families, communities and country in general.
“Violence against women and girls, gender inequality, patriarchy and harmful cultural practices significantly inhibits women’s potentials to fully contribute their quota and participate in national development.
“No one and no place is immune to this. That is why all hands must be on deck to support families and communities to respond adequately to gender-based violence by raising awareness and sensitization, prioritizing access to health services and information and changing negative norms and harmful beliefs about gender roles that reinforces the ugly practice,” she stressed.
The minister stated further the need for support and empowerment of women and girls, maintaining that when a woman succeeds, Nigeria is more safe.
“You cannot have a conversation about human rights and human dignity without talking about the right of every woman to be free from violence and free from fear.
“When women succeed, Nigeria is more safe, more secure and more prosperous. Over the years, we have witnessed women and girls inspiring communities and the entire country to stand up for freedom and justice,” she added.
A panel discussion during the workshop urged Nigerians to respect woman’s right to choices and cautioned journalists against misconceptions and approach the challenge of GBV across the country with a new strategy of knowledge and understanding the issues based on scientific measures adopted to eliminate the trend by 2030.
Earlier, the Research, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning officer at CCSI, Olajumoke Olanrewaju, said the report identifies GBV, child marriage, teenage pregnancy and harmful practices with the aim of finding lasting solutions to them.
