GENDER BASED VIOLENCE COURTS TO BE ESTABLISHED ACROSS NIGERIA, SAYS UJU KENNEDY-OHANENYE

Barr Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, Women Affairs Minister and United Nations  Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Matthias Schmale 

"When the courts become fully operational, it will ensure that people involved in such heinous acts are promptly arrested, prosecuted and punished accordingly, so as to serve as deterant to others." Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye reveals.

.... Advised parents to continue to monitor their children and wards in order to notice when their moods and expressions alter so as to draw the attention of relevant agencies for immediate action, as it is no longer going to be business as usual.

The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs has reiterated its preparednes to collaborate with the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) and other relevant government agencies, with a view to setting up mobile courts that will enable for speedy trial of persons involved in the act and subsequent punishment of offenders.

This is part of measures aimed at eliminating societal norms contributing towards Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the country, a statement issued and signed by Grace Njoku, Head, Media and Publicity unit of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs on behalf of the Honourable Minister, Barr (Mrs.) Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye reveals. 

The statement was part of the Minister's interaction on Friday with journalists in Abuja as part of the 16 days of Activism, marking the International Day for the elimination of violence against women.

According to Kennedy-Ohanenye in the statement, "when the courts become fully operational, it will ensure that people involved in such heinous acts are promptly arrested, prosecuted and punished accordingly, so as to serve as deterant to others."

Mrs. Kennedy Ohanenye informed that, "under her watch, the ministry will also intensify public enlightenment campaigns to sensitise the women, especially in the rural and remote areas across the country on the zero tolerance for Gender-Based Violence after which whistle blowers will be engaged to report back any case of child molestation or GBV in the environs."

Assuring of Government's determination to develop more strategies towards ensuring that Gender-Based Violence becomes eliminated in Nigeria, Barr. Mrs Kennedy-Ohanenye advised parents to continue to monitor their children and wards in order to notice when their moods and expressions alter so as to draw the attention of relevant agencies for immediate action, as it is no longer going to be business as usual.

She therefore called on relevant government agencies and development partners to join hands with the Ministry in its effort towards the fight and elimination of every form of GBV in the country.

Speaking earlier, the United Nations  Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Matthias Schmale called on the Federal Government to increase gender responsive budgeting and develop strategies to eliminate societal norms contributing to such violence.

Schmale observed that empowering women to be self-reliant and entrepreneurial, will also go a long way in checking the rampant attacks on the women and children by perpetrators of Gender-Based Violence in the country.