Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The United Nations (UN) Women and European Union (EU) have described Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) as a global pandemic that requires coordinated action that would guarantee the safety and security of vulnerable women and children across the world.
Delivering her goodwill message at the Strategy and Knowledge Sharing Workshop on SGBV for first-time first ladies in Nigeria organised by UN Women, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Samuela Isopi said the menace remains a global pandemic that requires fundamental and coordinated action.
Isopi, who was represented by the Acting Head of Development Cooperation, European Union Delegation to Nigeria, Mr. Ruben Alba Aguilera noted that in Nigeria, the EU continues to highlight the importance of the fight against SGBV through political engagement with the government.
“Our two flagship SGBV programmes; the Spotlight Initiative and the Rule of Law and Anti-corruption (RoLAC) Programme, have been quite instrumental in advancing this agenda.
“With a global envelope of 500 million Euros, the Spotlight Initiative is a clear demonstration of the EU’s commitment towards addressing SGBV. As the Spotlight Initiative comes to an end next month, a new SGBV programme is now in the pipeline, and we hope implementation can begin in 2024” she stressed.
She said the EU had been pleased to see an appraisal of the landmark achievements made, such as the adoption of relevant legal framework at state level, the establishment of more sexual assault referral centres and shelters
“Moving forward, we simply cannot afford to rest on our laurels. Lessons have been learned over the years and many more challenges remain.
“Whether in establishing clear and efficient referral pathways for survivors of SGBV, or securing funding for designated institutions, speedy prosecution of cases, training of front line workers or inter agency collaboration and coordination,” she added.
In her keynote remarks, the UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms. Beatrice Eyong said the two-day workshop was one of the critical interventions of the joint EU-UN Spotlight Initiative which seeks to eliminate all forms of violence against women.
She said: “We are confident about sustainability of the collaboration between the EU and the UN in the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) five which seeks to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment through addressing violence and all forms of discrimination against women and girls.”
The Chairperson of the Nigeria Governors Wives Forum and the First Lady of Kwara State, Prof. Olufolake Abdulrazaq said there was need to continue with frequent sensitisation on SGBV.
