The Mandate Secretary for Women and Children Affairs in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mrs Adedayo Bejamins-Laniyi, says 2,344 cases of Gender-based violence (GBV) have been reported in the territory.
Benjamins-Laniyi made this known during a meeting with On Air Personalities (OAPs), influencers, and media personalities on Thursday in Abuja.
She admitted that there are challenges in reporting incidences of GBV and how to bring it to the fore.
“Now, the ingenuity of the Department of FCT GBV focal person was created for this interaction and let them see alongside other geographical zones of Nigeria.
“If we trigger something of consciousness with the OAPs and influencers, mothers, and leaders in those communities, they will also do something.
“For me, it has also become a trigger, a clear dashboard for my own inaugural assignment.
“From a thousand reported cases of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGV), it has now shot up to 2,344 as of today. This is caused by a greater consciousness and now a will to engage those channels of reporting.
“Also, I have become very much an activist for the GBV campaign, and I have been deliberate about it. And we are going to focus on disability and gender-based disability violence,’’ she stressed.
Benjamins-Olayini commended the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps for being the first security institution “to domesticate as if it were the gender bill.”
The Mandate Secretary explained that the secretariat has no less than 10 departments, 40 divisions, and 15 units.
“Every one of the gender mainstreaming directions and objectives of the mandate for FCT women, adolescent girls, children, and PWDs within the classification of vulnerable groups is a targeted index for intervention and for subvention.
“This will bring critical rescue to circumstances that have implicated their state of being and the rights of livelihood, life, safety, and security,’’ she said.
Benjamins-Olaniyi emphasised that the history of atrocities against women is a heist that brought about women having to bite, urging OAPs and reporters to always balance their reports as it concerns GBV.
She further explained that the 16 days of activism against GBV with the theme “Invest to Prevent Violence Against Women and Children’’ will begin on Saturday.
“We are going to have a walk; dignitaries like the Minister of FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, the Commandant of the NSCDC, and others will be leading the walk.
“Also, the distinguished Sen. Ireti Kingibe has come out with an incredible `Orange Nigeria Project’. She wanted all of us in the gender field to create a movement and to work together.
“So our `Orange FCT Cloud’ will be flowing into the Orange Nigeria Project of the FCT, and as we do this, it is a non-partisan, non-tribal, non-political, non-religious, and non-gender agenda.
“It is just a message,’’ Benjamins-Olayini said.
NAN
