By Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Federal Government has expressed displeasure over the increasing cases of gender-based violence, vowing to address the problem with the support of the police and the judiciary.
Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Pauline Tallen, stated this yesterday, at the launch of Cece Yara Foundation Child Advocacy Centre in Abuja.
“I urge the police and judiciary to support this fight because without the action, cases of gender based violence will suffer.
“Partnership is key in issues of gender based violence that is why I am assuring Cece Yara Foundation of my ministry’s partnership and full support, we are going to work together, this is a top priority to my ministry because the child is the future of tomorrow.
“It is the responsibility of all well meaning Nigerians to support and protect the child because it is our responsibility,” she said.
She added that: “Today’s event is very significant particularly because we are commissioning this edify of the Cece Yara foundation to protect and support our children that are abused.
“This is coming at a very right time as we commemorate the international for violence against women and children which kicked off on Nov.25 to end Dec, 10 2020.”
Meanwhile, Founder of Cece Yara Foundation, Mrs Bola Tinubu, encouraged victims of domestic violence to always speak up despite social ridicule and stigmatization.
According to Tinubu, underreporting cases of gender based violence “remains a challenge because it is very difficult for families to undergo the stress and pressure from the community thus the need to create awareness.”
She reminiscent that four years ago the first advocacy centre was established in Lagos and Abuja just got its centre today, adding that the foundation worked to ensure that children were able to access justice and healing that they needed.
“What we need to do is to reach out and help them is to provide them the necessary space for them to come and disclose their abuse and for us to hold perpetuators to account.
“If we do not hold the perpetrators to account, we will not stop the abuse we have to deter them by sending them a real good message that they will go to jail if they continue to molest children,” she added.
