First Lady Oluremi Tinubu Calls for Tougher Laws and Punishments for Gender-Based Violence Perpetrators
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu Calls for Tougher Laws and Punishments for Gender-Based Violence Perpetrators
L-R Minister of Women Affairs, Hon Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, Wife of the Deputy Senate President, Hajia Laila Barau, Wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hajia Fatima Tajudeen Abass, UNFPA Officer-in-Charge, Koessan Kuawu, First Lady of Nigeria,Senator Oluremi Tinubu,CON, UN Resident Coordinator, Mustapha Fall, Wife of the Kwara State Governor, Amb. Prof. Olufolake Abdulrazaq and Wife of the SGF, Hon Regina Akume watching First Lady as she signed the Compact of Commitment at the 1st Gender & Social Norms Summit organized by the UNFPA in collaboration with her Office at the Banquet Hall of the State House on Tuesday 27th August 2024
Abuja, August 27, 2024 - The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has urged the implementation of stricter laws and harsher punishments for those found guilty of rape, sexual abuse, and other forms of gender-based violence (GBV). Her call to action was made during the 1st Gender and Social Norms Summit organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration with her office.
Addressing attendees, including wives of state governors, Senator Tinubu emphasized the need for a unified approach to raise awareness, share best practices, and promote effective strategies for combating GBV and other harmful practices. She stressed the importance of creating state-specific action plans that account for the unique cultural, social, and economic contexts of each region, and called for the allocation of adequate resources in government budgets to support gender equality initiatives and GBV prevention programs.
L-R Minister of Youth Development, Dr Jemila Bio Ibrahim, Minister for Women Affairs, Hon Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, Wife of the Deputy Senate President, Hajia Laila Barau, Wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hajia Fatima Tajudeen Abass, UNFPA Officer-in-Charge, Koessan Kuawu, First Lady of Nigeria,Senator Oluremi Tinubu,CON, UN Resident Coordinator, Mustapha Fall, Wife of the Kwara State Governor, Amb. Prof. Olufolake Abdulrazaq, Wife of the SGF, Hon Regina Akume and Minister for Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, SAN, at the 1st Gender & Social Norms Summit organized by the UNFPA in collaboration with Office of the First Lady at the Banquet Hall of the State House on Tuesday 27th August 2024
“We must advocate for improved legislation that enforces appropriate punishment for perpetrators of rape, sexual abuse, and other forms of gender-based violence. These individuals are dangerous and should not be allowed to roam free,” the First Lady stated. “We need to speak firmly and act decisively.”
Senator Tinubu expressed concern over the alarming rise in rape cases and other forms of GBV, noting that the situation has reached a critical level. She challenged law enforcement agencies, including the Inspector General of Police, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the National Assembly led by the Senate President, to ensure that stricter laws are both enacted and enforced.
“Every day, we hear of new rape cases—some involving even the most vulnerable, our babies. We cannot allow this trend to continue,” she said. “No guilty party should be left unpunished, and they must not be allowed to roam the streets, preying on new victims.”
Ministers in attendance, including those from the Ministries of Education, Justice, Women Affairs, and Youth, echoed the First Lady’s sentiments. They highlighted the importance of education, youth development, and women’s empowerment as key measures to reduce, if not eliminate, GBV and other harmful practices.
UNFPA Gender/FGM Analyst, Karima Bungudu, presented findings from a situational analysis revealing that nearly one in three Nigerian women has experienced some form of GBV, with women with disabilities being particularly vulnerable. She also pointed to the continued prevalence of harmful practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM), child marriage, and violence against women and girls, including the resulting Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF), as issues that remain unacceptably widespread.
UNFPA Officer-in-Charge, Koessan Kuawu, First Lady of Nigeria,Senator Oluremi Tinubu,CON, and UN Resident Coordinator, Mustapha Fall during the presentation of the symbolic ‘ Plant of Life’ to the First Lady at the 1st Gender & Social Norms Summit organized by the UNFPA in collaboration with Office of the First Lady at the Banquet Hall of the State House on Tuesday 27th August 2024
The event concluded with the signing of the Compact of Commitment by Senator Tinubu and the wives of state governors, reaffirming their dedication to ending GBV and harmful practices across Nigeria.
Signed:
Busola Kukoyi
SSA Media to the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
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