He made this call while addressing the audience at the official launch of the United States Agency International Development’s (USAID) Momentum Country and Global Leadership (MCGL) in Nigeria on Tuesday.
Osinbajo who was represented by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, called for an end to violence perpetrated against women and children in the form of physical abuse, rape and other forms of sexual violence.
He said, “It is high time we rise to the challenge posed by this menace. I want to join my voice to the voices raised here today to say no to Gender-Based Violence.
“I raise the red card to all the perpetrators of GBV.”
This call was also made by other prominent Nigerians who were present at the event on Tuesday at Transcorp Hilton’s Congress Hall in Abuja. The MCGL was launched with the collaboration of the Ministry of Women Affairs.
On her part, the Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen said that GBV was a human rights issue and also an issue dealing with morality. She said that MCGL will examine the problem as well as resolve issues surrounding GBV.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Anthonia Ekpa said that creating solutions to the problem of GBV was expedient and it was not enough to document GBV alone.
Tallen said, “GBV is not just a human rights issue but also a problem with moral effects. The partnership will help to scale the problem and provide solutions.
“We are currently witnessing uncommon political will to end GBV and President (Muhammadu) Buhari has shown commitment towards ending GBV.
“It is my earnest prayer that we build a safe world for vulnerable groups for all of us. No time is more appropriate than now.”
Ekpa said, “Now we are adopting (Sustainable Development) Goal 17 to ensure that we don’t just document GBV but also look for solutions to the problems with the help of MCGL. Ekpa also noted that the issues that women face vary from psychological to economic and must be tackled in-depth.
The Country and Global Leadership, Nigeria Project Director of the MCGL, Chioma Oduenyi, explained that the project was currently running in Sokoto and Ebonyi states in 11 Local Government Areas.
MCGL is expected to run through to September 2024. Oduenyi said that local organisations were chosen to carry out the project in each of these LGAs with the strong involvement of traditional and religious leaders.
MCGL is also supported by the World Bank. The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard noted that boys, as well as girls, could also be victims of GBV and that this violence limited the potential of victims. She emphasized that attacking GBV in tertiary institutions was of utmost importance.
Leonard said, ” We need to make universities (in Nigeria) harassment-free zones and I think that is something we can agree on.”
Leonard further stated that she was assured that with the right methods Nigeria could bring under control GBV.
The Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, appreciated the efforts of the MCGL in the state and stating that it was of high priority that GBV ended in the state. Tambuwal was represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs in the state, Kulu Abdullahi Sifawa.
The Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, said that the state was making progress in the fight against GBV. Umahi was represented by Chief Emma Obasi.
At the event, there were stage performances and poetry renditions, as well as, a testimony of a GBV survivor. The MCGL theme is “Expanding Partnership for a Survivor-centered Approach to Gender-Based Violence in Nigeria.”