By Chesa Chesa
The First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu has called for the appropriation and enforcement of stiffer laws and punishment for perpetrators of rape, sexual abuse and other forms of gender-based violence.
She made the call at the 1st gender and Social Norms Summit organized by the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA in collaboration with her office.
The First Lady noted that the summit provides a common platform especially for stakeholders, including Wives of State Governors, to create awareness, exchange lessons learned and promote effective strategies for preventing and responding to GBV and other harmful practices.
“We must also develop state-specific action plans and promote the allocation of adequate resources in government budgets to support gender equality initiatives and GBV prevention programs. Each state has its unique cultural, social, and economic contexts, and our plans must reflect this diversity”.
“There must be improved legislation to give, and enforce appropriate punishment to perpetrators of rape, sexual abuse and other forms of gender based violence, who are dangerous and not deserving of roaming the streets. We have to speak not only firm and tough but act accordingly”.
She decried the increased spate of rape cases and gender based violence, which she described as alarming.
Her words: “Every single day, we hear about rape cases, even our babies are violated. Do we allow this trend to continue or do we look the other way?
“That is why I am calling on the law enforcement agencies, the Inspector General of Police, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Chairman of the National Assembly, who is the Senate President, to appropriate and enforce stiffer laws and punishment to perpetrators of rape, sexual abuse and other forms of gender based violence. No guilty party should be allowed to go free and start roaming the streets looking for the next victim”.
In their remarks, the Ministers for Education, Attorney General/Minister of Justice, Women Affairs and Youth were all in support of ramping up awareness and ensuring that perpetrators do not go unpunished.
The highlight of the event which had in attendance Wives of State Governors, State Commissioners of Women Affairs and Health, traditional rulers and other stakeholders, was the signing of the Compact of Commitment by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu and Wives of State Governors reaffirming their determination to end GBV and other harmful practices in their States.
