…Kennedy-Ohanenye urges women to champion peace for development
By Victoria Onyisi
The Federal Government has expressed concern over the increasing cases of Gender-based Violence (GBV) in the country, despite concerted efforts by government and other stakeholders to stamp out the menace
The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, disclosed this in Abuja during the Nigeria Television Authority’s (NTA) Weekend Deal Programme with the focus: Gender Violence in Nigeria.
She stated that available records on the Ministry’s Data Situation Room shows that from its inception in November 2020 till date, there has been 30,120 reported cases of GBV with only 486 convictions.
In a statement made avaialable to the Media, Mrs Grace Njoku Head, Press and Public Relations, said the Minister who was represented by the Director, Gender Affairs in the Ministry, Mrs. Friya Bulus, stated further that of this number, 1,329 victims lost their lives while 1,945 cases were closed
This development is unacceptable, government will not relent on its efforts to prevent deaths due to GBV, it will therefore deploy all necessary measures within the ambits of law to ensure that the pepetrators of this heinous crime are brought to book, without any further delay she said.
To achieve this, the Minister informed that the Ministry is collaborating with the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) and other relevant government agencies, with a view to setting up mobile courts in the 36 States of the Federation, including the FCT, that will enable for speedy trial of persons involved in the act and subsequent punishment of offenders.
While restating her Ministry’s resolve to bring GBV to its barest minimum in the country, Barrister Kennedy-Ohanenye called on Nigerians to report all forms of GBV within their communities to the relevant agencies for immediate necessary action.
She therefore called on relevant agencies, Development Partners as well as stakeholders to join hands with the government in its avowed determination to rid the country of the dreaded vice.
Meanwhile, the Minister has called on Nigerian women to champion peace in their homes and communities with a view to ensuring the growth and development of their families and the nation at large
The Minister made the call Weekend during a One-day Awareness Creation on Using ICT to Address Gender-Based Violence (GBV), in commemoration of the 16 days of Activism organized by the Women Development Centre, Abuja
She stated that the development of any nation can only be possible when there is peace and stability in our homes as well as communities.
Barrister Kennedy-Ohanenye expressed optimism that the knowledge garnered from the ICT awareness seminar will empower women to challenge harmful stereotypes against them.
This knowledge, she added, will further promote a culture of respect among all genders in the country and therefore called on participants to take advantage of the opportunity to get themselves acquainted with ICT skills, not only for the purpose of GBV but also for economic growth and development of their homes
While praying for the victims and survivors of GBV, Kennedy-Ohanenye also commissioned the Electronic Dashboard displaying secondary data collated on reported and convicted cases on GBV in the country.
In a welcome address, the Director General, Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development, Dr. Asabe Bashir stated that the programme was organised to support the Gender Policy of the Ministry.
She called on participants to key into the initiative to empower themselves not only on GBV related issues but also to broaden their knowledge base on ICT so as to enhance their livelihood.
