The federal government has restated its commitment to total eradication of Gender Based Violence (GBV), assuring also efforts in ensuring care and justice for survivors across the country.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo stated this in Abuja while speaking at the official launch of USAID’s MOMENTUM Country and Global Leadership (MCGL), a five-year project aimed at increasing access to services for survivors of GBV and to provide them with relief from domestic and other forms of abuses.
The VP who was represented by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouk, said GBV was driven by structural inequalities and unequal power relations that render women subordinate to men.
He stated that this was due to limited access to education, employment, finances, healthcare and opportunities to contribute to their families, communities and the nation’s economic growth, adding that such conditions affect survivors, families and the broader society and economies of nations negatively.
He said: “It is time we rise up to the challenges posed by this menace and constantly speak out against this evil perpetrated by mindless individuals.
“I strongly reaffirm federal government’s declaration to Zero Tolerance to Gender Based Violence in Nigeria and I raise a RED CARD to all perpetrators.”
He added the need for easy access to safe, confidential and professional medical care; access to life-saving support and other services that provide dignity and comfort, including options for safety and psychosocial support for survivors.
While commending the USAID for the laudable efforts, he also stated the need to ensure a safer society for women, girls and the vulnerable in society.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, said GBV was not just a human rights issue, but also a moral overbearing issue, saying that the failure to invest in stopping the menace can lead to substantial social and economic losses which are estimated at 2 – 8 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
