By Justina Auta
The Federal Government and House of Representatives have expressed commitment to end violence against women and promote gender equality and women empowerment.
They made the commitment when the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, led Nigerian women on a solidarity walk to the National Assembly in commemoration of the 2024 16 Days Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, reaffirmed the commitment of the Legislative, Executive and Judicial arms of government to ending GBV in Nigeria.
Abbas assured that the House would prioritise more bills and motions aimed at promoting women’s rights and socio-economic empowerment, recognising the critical role of women in national development.
While urging Nigerians to unite against the scourge of violence and discrimination, he assured the audience of National Assembly’s commitment to eradicate GBV through progressive legislation.
“We will continue to come up with bills and motions that promote gender equality. Without women, there is no development, no progress,” he said.
Earlier, the women affairs minister had expressed appreciation to the House of Representatives for its gender-friendly initiatives.
She also applauded the National Assembly for reintroducing key gender-sensitive bills for reconsideration, which she described as significant step toward advancing gender equality and empowering women across the nation.
She told a large gathering that included representatives from more than 1,000 women groups across the country that the House’s efforts in addressing GBV and championing equality is laudable.
She added that “all the women groups in Nigeria have come here today to thank the House for its leadership and clear stance against gender-based violence.
“We are here to endorse you and your initiatives, particularly the push for the Equality Bill.”
Suleiman-Ibrahim highlighted the ministry’s ongoing efforts to combat gender-based violence through policy reforms and social advocacy.
“The message is clear: there is zero tolerance for any kind of violence – gender-based, sexual, or otherwise – against anybody in this country.
“We will work through policy and legal reforms to ensure victims are supported and future abuses are prevented,” she affirmed.
The minister reiterated government’s commitment to address these issues through grassroots advocacy, information dissemination and public sensitisation campaigns.
“We will distribute flyers, provide resources and continue raising awareness to ensure that every citizen understands the need to protect women and children,” she said.
Also, the Director-General of the Maryam Babangida National Development Centre (MBNCWD), Dr Asabe Vilita-Bashir expressed optimism about the partnership between the ministry and the National Assembly.
She stated that the collaboration would create an enabling environment to uplift the lives of Nigerian women and girls, ensuring their full participation in the country’s development agenda.
