Foreign
MR Matthias Schmale, UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, has described Sexual and Gender Based Violence( SGBV), as a global human rights violation that requires concerted efforts to be stopped.
Schmale, represented by Dr Oliver Stolpe, said this on Wednesday in Abuja at the launch of the landscape analysis’ report of SGBV, Harmful Practices and Obstetrics Fistula.
Stolpe is the Country Representative of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
“Sexual and Gender Based Violence is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violation of women and girls today.
“It has immediate, long term, physical, sexual and mental health consequences for women and girls affected,” he said.
According to him, the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development Goals represents a unique opportunity to promote human rights, equality and wellbeing of all in particular, women and girls.
Ms Ulla Mueller, Country Representative UN Population Fund (UNFPA), described the fight to end Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) as one of the key objectives of UN Population Fund.
Mueller said that one of the key objectives of UNFPA and Global Affairs Canada, one of its partners, was addressing gaps in Gender Based Violence and harmful practices in Nigeria.
She said that the programme was a three-year project adding that the success made so far in the fight against SGBV had been encouraging.
“It is a three-year programme and you just saw in the video that more than 20,000 adolescent girls are retained in schools and safe spaces in order to delay child marriage.
She said that the project had recorded huge successes through community-based surveillance against SGBV in Sokoto and Bauchi States
Earlier, Minister for Women Affairs Minister and Social Development, Mrs Pauline Tallen, said that prevention of SGBV and other harmful practices would boost economic growth.
Tallen, represented by Alhaji Shehu Shinkafi, Permanent Secretary in the ministry described SGBV as harmful to both humanity and nations.
“Preventing this violence can promote economic growth, human dignity and egalitarian society.
“So far we have prioritised and given increased attention to Gender Based Violence, social structural inequalities and other harmful practices,” she said
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the launch was sponsored by UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and Global Affairs Canada. (NAN)
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Tags: Matthias Schmale Oliver Stolpe Pauline Tallen Ulla Mueller UNODC
