News
‘30% Of Women Between 15-49 Years Experience Gender-Based Violence’
Thirty percent of women between the ages of 15 and 49 years experience one form of sexual gender-based violence, a women’s rights advocate, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, has said.
Akiyode-Afolabi, who is the founding director, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), also said in order to make the monitoring and evaluation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) successful, “a much sharper focus is needed on enhancing the roles and capacities of Civil Society Organisations particularly women’s rights organizations and movements by building their capacity to fulfill their critical responsibilities.”
Speaking in Abuja, yesterday, at a one-day training for CSOs and women advocates on monitoring and assessing SDGs benchmarks, the gender rights advocate regretted that the sexual and gender based violence (SGBV), Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) were prevalent in Nigeria but that lack of access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), by women was a major development challenge in the country.
According to her, “Research has shown that 30% of women between the ages of 15-49 years experienced one form of sexual gender-based violence.”
She explained that the one-day training was part of the joint UN-EU Spotlight Initiative project.
“The spotlight initiative is a global multi-year partnership between the European Union and the United Nations to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls by 2030,”she said.
She explained that, “The interventions focus on six mutually reinforcing pillars. WARDC is implementing pillar six in Lagos and FCT which focuses on promoting an empowered civil society and autonomous women’s movement.”
She further said, “The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a global Agenda for Sustainable Development that was adopted by world leaders in the 2015.
“Six years later, attention has shifted towards the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of this global agenda. In order for the SDGs to be successful, every level of governance will be counted on to benchmark to assess progress on each goal.
“The activity aims to Train women’s rights advocates and CSOs to enhance their skills to monitor and assess Nigeria’s progress towards Institutional SDGs Benchmarks for SGBV, HP and SRHR.
“Our goal is to strengthen CSOs in tackling all forms of discrimination, build capacity to demand accountability on VAWG/SGBV/HP/SRHR and advocate for policy reforms and actions that would eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and girls.”
WARDC, she explained, “is a non-governmental, not for profit human rights organization that is committed to the protection and promotion of women’s rights through advocacy, research, documentation and litigation.”
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has tasked troops of Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD to dominate the battlespace and intensify offensive operations against kidnappers, bandits and other criminal elements in the North Central region.
Shaibu gave the directive yesterday during his maiden operational visit to the Headquarters, Joint Task Force North Central (JTF-NC), at Sobi Barracks, Ilorin.
This is contained in a statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, in Abuja, yesterday.
Shaibu said the Nigerian Army would remain resolute in its constitutional responsibility of safeguarding lives and property, stressing that troops must sustain pressure to decisively deny criminal elements freedom of action.
He assured personnel of continued deployment of combat enablers and operational resources to enhance clearance operations and dismantle criminal hideouts across Kwara and Niger states.
The COAS reaffirmed his commitment to troop welfare, noting that improved welfare remained critical to sustaining morale, operational effectiveness and combat readiness.
He urged the troops to remain disciplined, professional and loyal to the Constitution and the democratically elected government.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander, JTF-NC Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD, Maj.-Gen. Yakubu Yahaya, commended the COAS for his strategic leadership and support.
Yahaya assured that troops would remain committed and steadfast in restoring peace and stability in the region.
The Nigerian Navy says it is expanding training and infrastructure to address emerging security threats and strengthen operational efficiency across formations and units nationwide.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, spoke during the inauguration of projects at the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School (NNBTS) in Onne, Rivers as part of activities marking the Nigerian Navy’s 70th anniversary.
Abbas, represented by the Flag Officer Commanding, Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), Rear Adm. Ebiobowei Zipele, said the projects reflected significant progress made by the navy since its establishment in 1956 from the British Royal Navy.
“Training and infrastructure have improved significantly to meet contemporary security challenges and fulfil the navy’s constitutional responsibilities.”
According to him, the anniversary provides the navy an opportunity to reflect on its achievements and contributions over the past seven decades.
Projects inaugurated included a remodelled female trainees’ hostel accommodating more than 500 occupants and an expanded golf course upgraded from one to nine holes.
Others were the NNBTS fuel dump, Chief Boatswain’s Mate House, renovated pharmacy department and a new theatre block at the Naval Medical Centre, Onne.
Abbas described the new theatre as a major milestone for the navy’s medical services.
“Previously, injured personnel requiring surgeries were referred outside the facility.
“With this theatre, surgeries can now be conducted within the base.’’
He added that a 30KVA inverter had also been installed to guarantee uninterrupted electricity supply at the training school.
The naval chief assured officers, ratings and trainees that the navy leadership remained committed to their welfare and wellbeing.
“These infrastructure upgrades show the commitment of the Chief of Naval Staff to addressing operational and welfare challenges promptly,” he said.
In addition, NAVTRAC distributed educational materials to pupils of Community Primary Schools One and Two, Ogale, in Ebubu-Eleme area of Rivers.
Items distributed included exercise books, school bags and other writing materials as part of the navy’s civil-military engagement initiative.
Zipele said the outreach was designed to strengthen relations between the navy and host communities while supporting children’s education.
“Education remains critical to national growth and youth empowerment. Some of these pupils may eventually serve in the Nigerian Navy,” he said.
He noted that the initiative demonstrated the navy’s commitment to educational development, peace, security and sustainable community relations.
Zipele urged the pupils to remain disciplined, focused and committed to their studies while embracing patriotism, integrity and hard work.
He thanked the Ebubu community for its continued support for the naval training command headquarters and the navy.
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