Niger State to explore avenues to end gender-based violence ― Governor’s wife

The Niger State Gender-Based Violence Management Committee will explore all avenues to eliminate all kinds of violence against women.

This assurance was made by the wife of the Niger State governor and chairperson of the committee, Dr Amina Abubakar Bello.  

She stated this in a press statement issued to the newsmen on Sunday in Minna by her press secretary, Hajiya Rabi Bello. 

The wife of the governor gave the assurance at the “End GBV Summit,” organised by the Nigerian Academy of Science in collaboration with the first ladies at Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja.

Bello said the committee has succeeded within the shortest time to have the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law passed and assented by the state governor.

The chairperson noted that the committee has reached out to all the eight Emirate councils in the state and engaged relevant stakeholders from different MDAs as well as religious leaders to come together with a view to supporting and key into the fight against GBV.

She enumerated strategic goals set by the committee to include: ensuring there is a law passed against GBV and ensuring its implementation and enforcement.

Other strategies, according to her include advocacy and increased sensitisation in the reduction of stigmatisation of survivors and culture of silence around the menace, coupled with treatment and support for victims and finally, strengthening the process.

The wife of the governor pointed out that the state has achieved much with an increase in referral centres in six hospitals which are accessible to all survivors in the 25 local government areas in the state.

Bello expressed the hope that before the GBV law is gazetted, a clause that would recognise the committee and its clearly defined responsibilities and funding would be captured in the legislation so as to ensure the sustainability of the program in the state.

She commended the state government, Ford Foundation and Nigeria Academy of Sciences for their support to the state Gender-Based Violence Management Committee and thereby appealed for more women to be allowed to occupy more political offices. 

Also speaking,  the president of the Nigerian Academy of Science Professor Ekanem Braide who was represented by Professor Tofun from the University of Benin, observed that the first Ladies of Nigeria have crucial roles to play in ensuring that issues relating to women and gender are included in all spheres of policies in the country.

Professor Ekanem assured that the Academy would continue to partner with the first ladies as they collectively seek to promote the inclusion of women participation in all aspects of the country’s development.

She also commended the efforts of the first ladies in the increased awareness of GBV in their state.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Lagos Is Second Least Liveable City In The World For 2021

Lagos is the second least liveable city in the world for the year 2021. This is according to the most recent annual ranking put together by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)…

FACT CHECK: Did UNICEF Say Blocking Children’s Access To Pornography Constitutes Human Rights’ Infringement?

CLAIM 1: A Twitter user claims UNICEF said any efforts to block children from accessing pornography might infringe their human rights.

VERDICT: MISLEADING!