By Justina Auta
The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) Business Women Group (NAWORG) has advocated the mainstreaming of laws, policies to challenge and eradicate violence against women and girls (VAWG).
NAWORG also stressed the need for regulations in the Nigerian political, business and government domains to address VAWG in the country.
The group made the call in a statement on Thursday, signed by Aisha Abubakar, Chairperson, NAWORG in commemoration of the 2021 “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence” (GBV) in Abuja.
Abubakar said that the report shows that 1 in 3 women aged 15 years and older, around the world have been subjected to physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner, non-partner or both, at least once in their lifetime.
“This indicates that levels of Violence-Against-Women-and-Girls have remained largely unchanged over the last decade,” she said.
She, therefore, called on the Federal Government to create an enabling policy, legal and resource environments; Scale up evidence driven prevention programming; Scaling up comprehensive, accessible and quality services for survivors.
The Chairperson also urged the government to enable and empower autonomous girl-led and women’s rights organisations to exercise their expertise.
“NAWORG will continue to raise awareness, mobilise advocacy and inspire action to combat GBV in its many forms (sexual harassment, child marriage, female genital mutilation, intimate
partner violence and rape, among other atrocities).
“We see a brighter future ahead of women devoid of violence and stigmatisation, and in unison with the UN Women; we believe that the Sustainable Development Goals vision for women would be achieved,” she said.
