Minister of women affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, European Union (EU) Ambassador, Ms Samuela Isopi and others have expressed dissatisfaction with the number of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) convictions in the country.
Tallen spoke when the EU Ambassador paid her a courtesy visit at the ministry’s headquarters, Abuja.
She said it was a known fact that the EU had been working on issues affecting women and children.
The minister said her ministry is struggling to address issues of gender-based violence, child trafficking, child abuse, and all forms of violence against women and children and the problem of early marriage as well as out-of-school children.
We have a data situation room which we have been using to collect from 2020 till date and we have reported 5,197 cases. Fatal cases are 160 and closed cases are 331 and then opened cases are 972 and out of this huge number of 5,197, only 16 are convicted.
This is unacceptable and that is why I’m pressing on the justice system and at a dinner at the presidential villa, I emphasised this to the chairman of the inter-ministerial committee to the attorney- general of the federation and hopefully I’m expecting that he should be there and that is why we are going to hold the press briefing in his office,” Tallen said.
Isopi said she is very honoured to be in the ministry and the EU would help to make this ministry even more visible.
Isopi said, “As you all know, gender issues, equality, women rights are priority for the European Union worldwide and in Nigeria,” he said.
