The House of Representatives on Monday marched from the National Assembly Complex to the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters to present a petition for immediate intervention, investigation and prosecution on gender-based violence to the Inspector General of Pollice.
The symbolic march which was led by Speaker, Rep Tajudeen Abbas with other federal lawmakers, women of all walks of life and youth groups to do everything humanly possible to ensure that all forms of violence against women and girls are drastically reduced if not completely eliminated in the very near future.
Speaker Abbas in his address promised that the National Assembly, particularly the House of Representatives would play an active role in the next National Action Plan Against Women violence that will be coming very soon.
According to him, they would send representatives participate actively in ensuring that robust policies are enacted that will significantly reduce the incidence of violence of all kinds against women, children and girls.
“This year’s programme came at a time that all over the world, women are crying. Women are in anger. Women are in frustration. Because of this, the United Nations has issued a damn report that for every ten minutes, a woman is being killed across the world.
“This is an unacceptable trend, an unforgivable trend. We in the parliament must have to unite more than ever before with relevant authorities, particularly, the law enforcement in ensuring that we curb this dangerous trend to the barest minimum” he said.
On her part at the Police Headquarters, the Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Rep Kafilat Ogbara said one in three women globally are victims of gender based violence.
She called on law enforcement agents to work hard to bring to justice perpetrators of violence against women.
“We want to get justice. We are saying no to lecturers violating students that they will fail them if they do not yield in. We say no to bosses at work violating their secretaries, their staff that if they do not yield in, they are sacked.
“We say no to all forms of violence against our children, our girls. Fathers raping daughters, uncles raping children and boys raping girls must stop, ” Mrs Ogbara said.
“We are calling on you to call for urgent action on gender-based violence during the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence” she calls.
The Inspector General of Pollice, Kayode Egbetokun, who was on hand to receive the petition promised the readiness of the Force to stamp out all forms of violence against women and promised to study and implement the recommendation.
“This occasion serves as a reminder that eradicating gender-based violence across the globe is a collective effort. It is not only by law enforcement agents alone. It is not only by law enforcement actions alone that we can eradicate gender-based violence. It is a collective obligation of everyone of us,” Egbetokun said.
Also the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, noted that the collaboration of Ministries, Departments and Agencies would see to the drastic reduction of violence against women in Nigeria.
The theme for the 2024 ’16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is “Towards Beijing +30: Unite to end violence against women and girls.”
