By Justina Auta
Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening proteive measures to safeguard women and girls.
Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister of Women Affairs, said this during the “2025 No Tolerance March” as part of activities marking the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) on Saturday in Abuja.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim said that the ministry was strengthening protective measures in line with President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to the welfare and safety of every citizen.
She said that community reports showed that eight out of every ten GBV cases involved minors, warning that technology is increasingly being used to harm women and girls.
The minister commended law enforcement agencies and development partners for supporting justice for survivors.
According to her, before legal reforms are completed, ptective measures against all forms of digital violence must be strengthened.
Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, Former First Lady of Kebbi State commended the ministry’s leadership, emphasising that the global theme “Uniting Against Digital Violence” reflected the urgency of evolving threats.
Shinkafi-Bagudu, who is also the CEO of Medicaid Cancer Foundation, said that the country must adopt a survivor-centered approach and safeguard families, communities and societies.
Also, Senator Ireti Kingibe, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women Affairs, said that ending GBV and achieving women’s inclusion in governance required collective responsibility.
Kingibe, therefore, urged Nigerian women to demand their space in leadership and public life, noting that violence remained a major barrier to participation.
“Even people like me are sometimes afraid. Younger, more vulnerable women feel it even more. But it must stop, and it will stop when we insist on it,” she said.
According to her, the march was simultaneously held across 19 states to empower grassroots communities with knowledge of their rights.
Dr Aishatu Abubakar-Baju, an AIG representing the Nigeria Police Force, reaffirmed the police’s zero tolerance for GBV.
She highlighted the nationwide Police Women’s Walk and the recent launch of the Nigerian Police GBV Training Manual and Standard Operating Procedure, as measures in place to curb the trend.
According to her, the Inspector-General of Police has made it clear that survivors must be protected and perpetrators held accountable, reinforcing the force’s commitment to justice for all.
Mrs Lois Auta, CEO of the Network of Women with Disabilities, said that the march represented inclusion, accessibility, and human rights.
Auta said that women and girls with disabilities faced higher risks of violence and must be protected.
“Women’s rights are human rights. Disability rights are human rights. We call for an end to GBV against all women and girls, end it, stop it,” she said.
Adeola Potts-Johnson, Project Manager at Women At Risk International Foundation (WARIF), urged participants to end the culture of silence surrounding sexual violence, and reminded the public that survivors are never to blame.
“Rape is never the fault of the survivor. It is always, and will always be the fault of the perpetrator,” she said. (NAN)
