WHO reports indicate one in three Nigerian women has been violated

With the increasing rate of violence against women and children, latest figure from the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicates that at least one in three Nigerian women and girls aged between 15 and 24 has been victim of violence.

Further, it has been estimated that 85 to 114 million women and girls have been subjected to female genital mutilation, and other forms of violence, majority are in Africa.

As a result of this, the Nigeria Police is currently seeking the partnership from African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD) and other related non-governmental organisation in curbing incidences of violation of women and girl child.

This, they said would ensure proper monitoring and tracking of all related cases with a view to facilitating quick response.

Mario Adebalogun, the team lead officer at the Gender Unit of Force CID, gave the information while he played host to Otive Ibuzor, the executive director of Centre LSD, explaining further that the Nigerian Police was deepening awareness through web presence, which has been interactive.

“We have discovered that most often when people are victims of abuse, they don’t have enough confidence to report to the police, probably because of the kind of response they might have received in the past. We have taken note of that and have done mapping of the training of men and officers so that they could be abreast.

“Currently, we are on sensitisation, and on our own. The sensitisation cuts across the six geopolitical zones. With sensitisation have also improved and people are now coming out to report. We have assured those that report to us that we will protect informants.

“Although we have increased our web presence, but we have written to the Inspector General of Police and working with the NCC to get special number that would ensure quicker action for any violated women and child across the 36 states of the federation.

“Already, we are in partnership with Cleen Foundation and they are helping us to mobilise other Civil Society Organisations in states across the geopolitical zone, working closely with the Gender desk Unit of the Nigerian Police force,” she said.

Notably, Nigeria and the rest of the world on April 14 marked the second anniversary of the abduction of the Chibok girls. Since then, there has been increasing call for greater protection of the girl child, with the recent being the projection of Gender and Equality Bill, which suffered a set back at the floor of the Senate recently.