The Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen says over 11,053 cases of gender based violence have been reported across the country, with only 33 convictions.
Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, disclosed this at the weekly ministerial briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team, on Thursday in Abuja.
She said the world must unite in the fight against discrimination and violence against women.
According to her, the ministry also frowns at gender based violence against women, stressing that the women should be respected and honoured by their husbands and the society.
“We have a total of 11,053 cases of gender based violence reported, fatal cases 401; closed cases, 592, very sad .
”We had only few persons convicted for this deadly act and that is unacceptable and that is why we are calling on the justice system to act fast on cases of gender based violence because justice delayed is justice denied,” she said.
According to the minister, the ministry has so far disbursed N3 billion to over 67,000 women under its economic empowerment programme.
On the Thursday’s court judgment in favour of a female gubernatorial candidate in Adamawa, Aisha Binani, Tallen described the victory of the All Progressives Congress candidate as a welcome development for Nigerian women.
She said: “I knew that we will make it. Today is a day that we are going to celebrate. From here we are moving to the house. We will move to the streets and match. And watch what will happen in Adamawa.
”We will lead the campaign, Adamawa women already are fully mobilized, they have said that if she’s not given her mandate, they will not come out to contest or vote in any election.
”Nigerian women are fully behind her because throughout last night we did vigil, we have been praying and fasting on this matter and God answered our prayers.
”Because, this is a test case, is not that we don’t have capable women. They did it for me in 2011, they did it for late Mama Taraba and I vowed under my stewardship, Lord, wipe my tears and God answered my prayers.
”This is a success story to Buhari’s administration.”
Tallen, who spoke extensively on the achievements of her ministry, revealed that 34 out of the 36 States of Nigeria had domesticated the Child’s Right and Violence Against Persons Prohibition Acts.
“We have made progress on the domestication of the Child’s Right Act 2003. When I assumed office, we had only 12 States that have domesticated the Child’s Right Act and without the Act, we cannot achieve our desire of educating female children.
“With the Child’s right Act, the girl child is guaranteed to be in school up to senior secondary school, minimum when she will be about 17-18 years and by then, she would have crossed the early marriage stage,” she added.
