…Stakeholders call for reinforcement of legal framework
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
KOGI State Ministry of Justice and Protect the Child Foundation have partnered to strengthen the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) in the state.
The partnership was launched at a one-day stakeholders’ workshop on “Sustaining the Fight Against Gender-Based Violence,” organized by the Ministry’s Directorate of Gender-Based Violence with support from the French Embassy.
The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Muizudeen Yunus Abdullah, emphasized that combating GBV is a shared responsibility requiring collective commitment and action.
The Attorney General highlighted key legal instruments supporting the fight against GBV, including the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law of Kogi State, 2022, and the Child’s Rights Law of Kogi State.
Abdullah represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Falilat Yusuf Musa (Esq.), commended Governor Usman Ododo for his administration’s commitment to curbing GBV, noting that the state has zero tolerance for such violence.
He called on law enforcement agencies to handle GBV cases with urgency and sensitivity, and urged communities to break the culture of silence and stigma.
The Executive Director of Protect the Child Foundation, Barr. Elizabeth Achimugu, attributed the persistence of GBV to poverty and called for the empowerment of the girl child as a key strategy to address the problem.
She stressed the need for community engagement and public awareness, noting that exposing perpetrators and ending stigmatization are crucial to combating GBV.
Achimugu cited alarming statistics from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2023, which reports that 31 per cent of women aged 15-49 have experienced physical violence, while seven per cent have experienced sexual violence.
Earlier, the Deputy Director of the Gender-Based Violence Directorate, Juliana Jonathan-Omale, underscored the need for sustained action, describing the workshop theme as “both a declaration and a challenge.
“We have moved from breaking the silence to building systems of response. Now we must ensure this fight is not a fleeting campaign but a lasting commitment built on strategy, resilience, and collaboration,” she said.
The workshop was attended by traditional rulers, religious leaders, and civil society representatives.
The partnership aims to strengthen Nigeria’s legal framework and ensure a coordinated response to GBV across the country.
The stakeholders called for integrated, multi-sectoral approaches involving health, education, justice, and community systems, as well as economic empowerment initiatives for women and girls to reduce vulnerability to abuse.
