BY AKUDORO GLORIA
The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs has convened brainstorming sessions with key stakeholders aimed at facilitating arrangements that will drive significant impact in addressing Gender-based Violence (GBV) issues in Nigeria.
This is coming as part of follow up activities in preparation for the upcoming 16Days of Activism against GBV scheduled to commence November 25th to December 10, 2024. The campaign calls for government, civil society, and the private sector to accelerate progress in eliminating violence against women and girls as well as applify voices of survivors and activists.
The theme for this year’s 16Days of Activism against GBV celebration is “Towards Beijing +30: UNITE to End Violence Against Women and Girls”. Other activities lined up include, Town Hall Meeting with Women Groups, GBV Awareness rallies in 6 geopolitical zones in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady, flag off of nationwide campaigns with the release of Helium Balloons as well as interdenominational prayers for Muslims and Christians (in all mosques and churches nationwide)
In a statement released on Tuesday by the Head of Information and Public Relations, Mrs. Grace Njoku, the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, during the 2nd planning meeting, urged stakeholders to work assiduously towards invigorating stakeholders’ mobilization, awareness creation and provision of support services to survivors.
Represented by the Director, Women Development Department of the Ministry, Mrs. Friya Bulus, the Minister highlighted the need to ensure sustainability of the issues raised, even after the days of observance with a view to bringing cases of GBV to its barest minimum
She said Gender-Based Violence (GBV) remains a hydra-headed monster affecting millions of women, children and marginalised communities in Nigeria
Sulaiman-Ibrahim who informed that the incidences of reported cases soared to a frightening scale in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, noted that this led to the Federal Executive Council passing a resolution which called for urgent measures against the menace as well as a declaration of the State of Emergency against GBV in the country by the 36 State Governors.
She therefore called on government at all levels, civil society organizations and the private sector to accelerate progress towards ending violence against women and girls.
The 2024 observance provides the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs as the National Mechanism for the advancement of women in Nigeria, under the leadership of Hon. Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim to consolidate on the gains made in the past through the efforts of the Federal Government, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and international partners in addressing GBV.
