By Abubakar Suleiman
The annual conference on Sexual Gender Based Violence, SGBV is unusually organized as part of the activities marking the 16-days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence was held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja.
The event brings together prominent women and stakeholders in the advocacy for the rights of women and girls, in order to strategize means of enhancing lives of women and girls.
Diplomats at the conference acknowledged the contributions of Nigeria Governors spouses’ Forum as a group and state First Ladies on individual grounds, pledged to continue supporting Nigeria in the fight against SGBV and other forms of violence against women and the girl child.
Nigeria Governors Forum through its Director-General, Mr Asishana Okauru enjoined the state First Ladies to take all messages from the conference down to their states.
Ministers of Foreign Affairs and that of Women Affairs, Mr Yusuf Tugga and Mrs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye respectively appreciates the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Kwara state Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for approving the mobile courts to try perpetrators of SGBV.
In her remarks, Chairperson of the Nigeria Governors Spouses’ Forum, Ambassador Olufolake Abdulrazaq highlighted priority areas in the advocacy against SGBV to include Strengthen collaboration with ministries of women affairs in states, NAPTIP, states ministries of Justice, establishment and funding of Sexual Assault Centres, empowerment of women and girls as well as engagement with communities and religious leaders.
The conference is which was graced by the presence of the Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, featured exhibitions by states of the federation.
