The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D, on Monday led the leadership and members of the House in a remarkable action to commemorate this year’s celebration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
Accompanied by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu; Majority Leader of the House, Hon. (Prof) Julius Ihonvbere; Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Kafilat Ogbara, and several other members of House and senior aides, Speaker Abbas led a walk against Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
Prominent participants in the exercise include Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim; Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande; National Youth Leader, All Progressives Congress, Dayo Israel, among others.
The advocacy was part of this year’s 16 Days Activism Against Gender-based Violence, which aimed at the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls.
The slogan for this year’s campaign is ‘No Excuse for Violence!’
The advocacy train moved from the National Assembly Complex to the headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force, where the House presented a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, to demand proper investigation and prosecution of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).
Addressing the crowd at the main entrance to the National Assembly, midway into the journey, the Speaker declared that the 10th House was ready to do more in the campaign against GBV and VAWG.
Speaker Abbas said: “This day is the day of history; a day that the National Assembly has chosen to become an active partner with other groups in the country to fight against gender-based violence. This year’s programme came at a time when, all over the world, women are crying, in anger and frustration. This is the year that the United Nations has issued a damning report, that every 10 minutes, a woman is being killed across the world.”
He added: “This is an unacceptable trend. This is an unforgivable trend. We in the parliament must have to unite – more than ever before – with the relevant authorities particularly the law enforcement in ensuring that we curb this dangerous trend to the barest minimum.
“I want to say it categorically clear that the National Assembly will 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.
“I also want to announce that the National Assembly, particularly the House of Representatives, will play an active role in the next national action plan against violence against women, which will be coming up very soon. We will send our representatives. We will also participate actively in ensuring that pro-poor policies are enacted to significantly reduce the incidences of violence of all kinds against women, against children, against girls.”
Speaker Abbas, then, declared open the 16-Day Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
Thereafter, the Chairman of the Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Ogbara, led the delegation to the Force Headquarters, where she presented the petition on behalf of the House, demanding thorough investigation into cases of violence against women and girls.
There are other activities lined up for the 16 days activism against gender-based violence, which the House would be actively involved in for the next 16 days.
Signed:
Musa Abdullahi Krishi, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
