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First Lady, Govs’ Wives Sign Agreement To Combat GBV
The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, has signed an agreement with governors’ wives to combat Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and harmful social practices against women.
The agreement was signed in Abuja, yesterday, at the first Gender and Social Norms Summit 2024, organised by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Renewed Hope initiative, in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady.
In her keynote address, the first lady said that the prevalence of harmful practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), assault on women, and Child Marriage, which in some cases lead to Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF) remain unacceptably high.
According to her, incidences of such practices have continued to increase in spite of various efforts.
She also said that recently, the spate of rape cases and GBV had reached an alarming rate, not sparing babies too.
“Do we allow this trend to continue, or do we look the other way?.
“That is why I am calling on law enforcement agencies, the Inspector-General of Police, the Attorney-General of the Federation and the National Assembly (NASS) to appropriate and enforce stiffer laws and punishments for perpetrators of rape, sexual violence and other forms of GBV.
“No guilty party should be allowed to go free and start roaming the streets looking for the next victim.”
Tinubu, however, said that collective action was needed to put an end to the practices.
She advocated the development of state-specific action plans to promote the allocation of adequate resources in government budgets to support gender equality initiatives and GBV prevention programmes.
She added that “this summit provides us with common platform to create awareness, exchange lessons learned and promote effective strategies toward preventing and responding to GBV and harmful practices.”
The UNFPA Officer-In-Charge, Mr Koessan Kuawu, said family planning is not only a crucial health intervention but a cornerstone
of gender equality and women empowerment.
He, however, noted that social norms drive misconceptions and cultural barriers in many communities across the country, hindering the uptake of family planning.
According to him, Nigeria occupies a unique position globally in the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030 due to its vast population.
He commended the Federal Government “for its steadfast dedication to creating an enabling environment through the passage and enforcement
of critical legislations such as the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act 2015.
“The implementation of the National FGM Policy, the National Child Marriage Policy, and state-specific action plans are also highly commendable to eliminating the menace.
“These milestones have been achieved through persistent advocacy, aimed at strengthening the adoption and implementation of these laws.”
He explained that though eliminating GBV and harmful social practices is an immense task, it is not insurmountable.
“With the right resources, political will and community support across the states, we can change the narrative for women and girls in Nigeria,” Kuawu said.
On her part, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Uju Ohanneye, advocated stricter penalties for perpetrators.
She explained that “overseas, where people are afraid to commit crimes or social norms or things that can harm another, it’s because when
you do it, you face the consequences, legally and otherwise.
She reiterated the commitment of the ministry to support and implement programmes toward eliminating GBV.
The Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), defined social norms as unspoken rules or expected behaviours that
set social standards of appropriate and inappropriate manners in a specific culture or social group.
Fagbemi, who was represented by the Solicitor-General of the Federation, Mrs Beatrice Agba, said “GBV encompasses various forms of violence
directed at individuals based on their gender, often rooted in unequal power dynamics and societal norms.”
He, however, noted that the practices “may unfortunately be attributed to the patriarchal and male dominance theoretical framework in place in our society.”
He said that the Federal Ministry of Justice is fully aware of the crucial roles that the justice system plays in addressing gender and social norms
through the provision of a framework for accountability, protection and empowerment.
He added that by upholding the rule of law, promoting gender equality and advancing justice for all, the justice system could contribute significantly
to creating a more inclusive, equitable and just society for the present and future generations.
Also, that in addition to ongoing legislative reforms, the ministry was working with critical stakeholders to engage community actors such as traditional rulers,
faith-based organisations, and informal community justice systems to address the notions and institutions that perpetrate violence against women and girls.
“We are initiating a pilot phase with the Area Councils in collaboration with area council chairmen to support ongoing dialogue and initiatives on this subject,” he said.
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Independence Anniversary: RSG Sets Up Planning Committee
The Rivers State Government has inaugurated a Central Planning Committee (CPC) to organize the celebration of Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day.
Inaugurating the committee in Port Harcourt, yesterday, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Tammy Danagogo, maintained that the committee was constituted to plan and execute all approved activities marking the 64th Independence celebration of Nigeria in the State.
According to the SSG, there will be no time lost in preparations as Governor Siminalayi Fubara, has already approved the programmes for the 2024 Independence Day celebration.
He emphasised that the events will begin with Juma’at Prayers on Friday 27th September while an Inter-Denominational Church Thanksgiving Service will hold on Sunday, 29th September.
The grand-finale according to him, will hold on Tuesday, 1st October, at the Sharks Stadium with spectacular parade and performances.
He appreciated the security agencies and MDAs for partnering the State Government to always ensure seamless celebration as he further tasked members to deploy their expertise in the areas of their operations.
He noted that the committee will meet regularly prior to the Grand-finale.
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