FG takes strong position on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence 

In light of the growing rate of Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in the country, the Federal Government has taken a strong position to combat it.

The Federal Ministry of Justice in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education is currently working on a standard legal pathway to prosecute Gender-Based Violence in schools

The program is with the support of the British Council Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Program(RoLAC).

In a Keynote address at the 3-day Capacity Building Workshop for Investigators and Prosecutors on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence held in Abuja, The solicitor-general of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Federal ministry of justices, Beatrice Jedy-Agba reassured development partners of the unwavering commitment of the government to eliminate SGBV.

Jedy-Agba noted President Mohammed Buhari’s administration has provided all enabling support structures, legal, and the financial requirement to eliminate the social ill of sexual violence against women.

Also speaking, the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police, Usman Alkali Baba said all cases of SGBV would henceforth be handled to its conclusion, sounding a note of warning to perpetrators of the act that there would different approaches to the treatment of sexual-based cases.

Rita Oki, Deputy commissioner of police, in charge of the Gender unit, who represented the IGP said there would no longer be instances of any cases of police refusal to release relevant data for the prosecution of violators of SGBV.

In her speech, The Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen regretted that despite government efforts to combat SGBV not much is done in the area of prosecution.

She noted that from the available statistics from the national situation room and dashboard set in the federal ministry of women supported by UNDP under the UN/EU spotlight initiative not much has been achieved in the area of prosecution.

“As of November 2022 the total number of cases reported was 11,053, fatal cases were 401, close cases 592, while open case pending stood at 3, 507 while only 33 have been convicted,” said Tallen.

She added that there are directives to the Inspector-General of Police to deal with all perpetrators in furtherance of the declaration of zero tolerance to rape and other Gender -Based Violence, as well as constant engagement with the Police on the need to promptly address issues of Gender Based-Violence.

Also, the Executive Secretary of the National Human Right Commission, NHRC, Tony Ojukwu encourages victims of SGBV to always speak out to discourage violators from getting away with their crimes.