By Ameh Ejekwonyilo
The upsurge in rape cases and gender-based violence in Nigeria has been described as worse than the devastating Coronavirus.
The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dame Pauline Fallen stated this on Wednesday during a visit by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) as part of 5-days of activism against rape and gender-based violence in the country.
Tallen said, “The rising cases of rape and gender-based violence in the country is disheartening. In fact, cases of rape has reached the level of a pandemic in Nigeria. It is worse than the coronavirus pandemic, that is to say, it is a pandemic within a pandemic.
“This is because women, especially children are being sexually violated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic that has occasioned a lockdown across the country.”
She, however, assured President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration’s commitment to combatting the menace.
“I want to assure that President Buhari is fully committed to the fight against rape and gender-based violence. When I presented a memo at the Federal Executive Council meeting last week, it was received with a unanimous response.
The minister noted that all States of the federation had been directed by the President to domesticate the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act and the Child Rights Act as part of concerted measures to curb the scourge.
On his part, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Mr. Tony Ojukwu, who led the awareness march to Mrs. Tallen, said, “The public outrage and horror on account of rape and other violent crimes against women and girls leading to the death of some of the victims has reached a horrifying and scary proportion in recent times.
“Rape and SGBV is a gross violation of human rights and a crime. It is a violation of the right to dignity, right to life, right to sexuality, based on discrimination. It is not only an abuse by the perpetrator, but also a violation when the responsible authority fails to take action to ensure redress and accountability to victims and survivors.
Rape and SGBV affects different categories of people, especially the most vulnerable like children, women, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and men. Rape and SGBV has devastating consequences not only on the victims or the survivors, but on the society therefore its effects are not only personal but socio-economic as well.
This calls for all hands to be on deck in order to address this pervasive crime in our society.
“Rape and SGBV is a gross violation of human rights and a crime. It is a violation of the right to dignity, right to life, right to sexuality, based on discrimination.
“It is not only an abuse by the perpetrator, but also a violation when the responsible authority fails to take action to ensure redress and accountability to victims and survivors.
“Rape and SGBV has devastating consequences not only on the victims or the survivors, but on the society therefore its effects are not only personal but socio-economic as well.
This calls for all hands to be on deck in order to address this pervasive crime in our society,” Ojukwu said.
