The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN, has described Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) as grave violations of the human rights of victims.
The AGF made the declaration on Thursday in Abuja, while inaugurating the Inter-Ministerial Management Committee on Eradication of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.
According to the Minister, Sexual and gender-based violence has become a global problem not peculiar to Nigeria, saying study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed that 35 per cent of women worldwide have experienced either physical or sexual violence.
He said, “Study conducted by WHO indicates that 35% of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or Sexual intimate partner violence or non partner Sexual violence.
“For clarity, this translates to 1 in every 3 women.The dramatic increase in incidences of SGBV has generated public outcry and resulted in it being described as pandemic within a pandemic.”
Meanwhile, shortly before it’s inauguration, the Minister reminded the committee members that in coordinating government action, laws and policies, the ministry has engaged relevant government, Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on the need to eradicate SGBV in the country.
He therefore charged them to among other functions conduct a review of all the existing laws and policy of instruments touching on offences of rape and child defilement for analysis and necessary legislative actions.
In his own address, the Executive Secretary National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Tony Ojukwu, hinted that the commission has taken the bull by the horn through sustained campaign, adding that stakeholders have been tasked to crave accountability for violations in relation to rape and SGBV.
Speaking earlier at the occasion, the First Consular/ Deputy Head of Delegation, EU Delegates to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Alexander Borges Gomez, praised the FG initiative, saying gender based violence has become a pandemic that should be tackled.
Speaking in the same vein, Country Representative, UNFPA, Villa Mueller, observed that SGBV has become an everyday thing in Nigeria.
The UNFPA said mostly women and girls have been abused in the process.
While commending the FG effort, she added that all hands must be on deck to stop the act.
She therefore pledged the UNFPA’s readiness to work with Nigeria government in tackling it.
