…As Minister leads march against GBV
By our correspondant
Federal Government through the Ministry of Women Affairs said it was strengthening protective measures towards the welfare and safety of every citizen reaffirming that legal reforms will capture all cases of digital violence in the country.
Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, stated this on Saturday during the 2025 No Tolerance March in Abuja as part of activities marking the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim who led the procession, said the Ministry was strengthening protective measures noting that President Bola Tinubu remains committed to the welfare and safety of every citizen.
She affirmed that community reports show that eight out of every ten GBV cases involve minors, warning that technology was increasingly being used to harm women and girls.
“Before legal reforms are completed, we must strengthen protective measures against all forms of digital violence,” she said, while praising law enforcement agencies and development partners for supporting justice for survivors.
Also, Former First Lady of Kebbi State and CEO of Medicaid Cancer Foundation, Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, commended the Ministry’s leadership, emphasizing that the global theme “Uniting Against Digital Violence” reflects the urgency of evolving threats.
She said the country must adopt a survivor-centered approach and safeguard families, communities, and societies.
Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women Affairs, Senator Ireti Kingibe, stressed that ending GBV and achieving women’s inclusion in governance requires collective responsibility.
She urged Nigerian women to demand their space in leadership and public life, noting that violence remains a major barrier to participation.
“Even people like me are sometimes afraid. Younger, more vulnerable women feel it even more. But it must stop—and it will stop when we insist on it,” she said, adding that the march was simultaneously held across 19 states to empower grassroots communities with knowledge of their rights.
Representing the Nigeria Police Force, AIG Dr. Aishatu Abubakar Baju reaffirmed the Police’s zero tolerance for gender-based violence, highlighting the nationwide Police Women’s Walk and the recent launch of the Nigerian Police Gender-Based Violence Training Manual and Standard Operating Procedure.
She said the Inspector-General of Police has made it clear that survivors must be protected and perpetrators held accountable, reinforcing the force’s commitment to justice for all.
Advocating for disability inclusion, Lois Auta, CEO of the Network of Women with Disabilities, said the march represents inclusion, accessibility, and human rights. She emphasised that women and girls with disabilities face higher risks of violence and must be protected.
“Women’s rights are human rights. Disability rights are human rights. We call for an end to gender-based violence against all women and girls—end it, stop it,” she said.
Project Manager at Women At Risk International Foundation, WARIF, Adeola Potts-Johnson, urged participants to end the culture of silence surrounding sexual violence and reminded the public that survivors are never to blame.
She said, “Rape is never the fault of the survivor. It is always and will always be the fault of the perpetrator” adding that the message must be carried into communities beyond the campaign period.
The No Tolerance March, which held in other cities across Nigeria was marked annually. It brought together women groups, civil society organisations.
