By Justina Auta
The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, has urged state governments to establish safe spaces where survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) can seek medical, psychological and social support.
Tallen made the call at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.
Safe space is a place or environment in which a person or category of people can feel confident that they will not be exposed to discrimination, criticism, harassment, or any other emotional or physical harm.
The term safe space also refers to places intended to be free of bias, conflict, or potentially threatening actions, ideas, or conversations.
The minister, therefore, said that the safe spaces would enable GBV survivors to heal speedily.
According to her, it will also give them hope and enable them to acquire skills that will position them to become financially independent.
She said “we are in solidarity with survivors of Gender-Based Violence, it is for us to encourage them and to stand by them.
“It is also important to give them hope and give them the strength that all hope is not lost. We have safe spaces here in Abuja.
“We call on all state governors and first ladies of the states to make sure that they have safe spaces for survivors of gender based violence.
“This safe space is a place where an abused woman or girl could run to and be safe.
“And while she is there, she is trained in income generating activities so that she can be supported and empowered,” Tallen said.
She restated Federal Government’s commitment to ensure all cases of GBV were treated with confidentiality and justice appropriately served.
She said that the forthcoming global 16 Days of Activism Against GBV, annually marked between November 25 and December 10, would be celebrated nationwide with the desired seriousness geared toward showing support to survivors.
She added that “I emphasised this to all commissioners that this year’s 16 Days of Activism Against GBV must be implemented with all seriousness and we all dress in orange colour within those days.
“Orange is a bright colour and it is a colour of hope and it is a colour that gives strength for us to encourage and show that we are in solidarity with survivors of GBV.”
The global theme for the 2022 16 Days of Activism Against GBV is: “UNITE! Activism to End Violence Against Women and Girls”.
