SGBV: FG reiterates commitment to advancing women’s rights

The Federal Government has reiterated commitment toward advancing women’s
rights as a strategy to end Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and other harmful cultural practices affecting
women and girls.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, made the commitment on Wednesday in Abuja at a two-day media workshop.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop is on “National Communication Strategy on Ending all Forms of Violence and Harmful Practices against Women and Girls in Nigeria”.
Tallen, who was represented by Mrs Abia Udeme-Nsikak, the Head of GBV and Data Management at the ministry, described the scale of SGBV against women and girls and discrimination as alarming.
She stressed that such violence impacted negatively on individuals, families, communities and country in general.
According to her, preventing and responding to violence against women and girls is cornerstone of government’s commitment to advancing women’s fundamental human rights.
She added that “promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls serve as catalysts to addressing gender inequality, patriarchy and gender stereo-typing.
“The scale of SGBV and other harmful practices against women and girls is alarming.
“The spike, pattern, trend and the consequences of these forms of violence impact negatively on individuals, families, communities and the country in general.”
Tallen explained that the National Communication Strategy would strengthen government-wide approaches, identify, coordinate, integrate, and leverage on the current efforts and resources to address GBV in a holistic, efficient and effective manner.
The minister, therefore, stressed the need to raise awareness and sensitisation, prioritising access to health services and information, and changing negative norms and harmful beliefs about gender roles that reinforced the ugly practice.
Babafunke Fagbemi, Executive Director, Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI), represented by Adenike Ayodele, the Programme Officer of the centre, said the training was in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.
She noted that funding for the training was from the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative/UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and support from CCSI, aimed at ending GBV and harmful practices against womdn and girls in the country..
Mrs Esther Ijeaku, the Principal Consultant, Skill Hub Consulting, one of the facilitators at the training, stressed the need to meet the target of eliminating GBV and harmful traditional practices by 2030.
The training, which had a panel discussion with representatives from the ministry, Civil Society Organisations, CCSI and the media, stressed the need to respect the rights of women, especially as it concerned their development.
The panelists include Abia Udeme Nsikak, Ministry of Women Affairs, Chinyere Eyoh of the Sexual Offences Awareness & Response (SOAR), Initiative and Adenike Ayodele, Principal Officer, CCSI.