Minister of women affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen said her ministry has received complaints of over 10,726 cases of sexual and gender-based violence in recent times with Sokoto recording 738 cases.
Tallen, who disclosed this yesterday in Sokoto at the stakeholders meeting of EU/ UN Spotlight Initiative lamented about the high rate of physical, psychological and emotional violence against women and children in recent times.
The minister noted that the commonest form of violence and abuse reported include, rape, child marriage, wife battery, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, prostitution, incest, negative widowhood practices, slavery and trafficking of girls.
She reiterated the ministry’s commitment to continue to collaborate with civil society organisations and other relevant partners and agencies to curb the menace.
In a related development, the minister of state for budget and national planning, Clem Agba said the federal government has made budgetary allocation to some non-governmental organisation such as Spotlight Initiative to help it carry out its function effectively.
He maintained that the budgetary allocation would help the organisation in implementing its programmes and policies in the country.
On her part, the Sokoto State commissioner for women and children affairs, Hajia Kulu Abdullahi Sifawa explained that the aim of the meeting is to highlight incidences of sexual and gender based violence, responses and the way forward.
She disclosed that the committee has reported 800 cases and with the assenting of the Child Right Act by the state governor, over 25 cases have been prosecuted.
Also speaking the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar called for concerted efforts in stamping out violence against women and children in the country. He advised parents and governments on the importance of girl child education stressing that educating female folks will help in the development of the country.
