Women Affairs ministry to partner USAID, NACA on GBV, HIV/AIDS

By Maryam Garba Hassan

Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development is to partner the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) in the fight against the growing cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and HIV/AIDS in the country.

A statement signed at the weekend in Abuja by the Ministry’s Director of Press, Saghir el Mohammed, said this was the high point of a meeting between the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr. Habiba Lawal and the Deputy Country Director of USAID in Nigeria, Mr. Masauso Nzima, in Abuja.

According to the statement, Lawal, who expressed concern on the increase in cases of gender-based violence in the country, said violence against women in particular, hinders progress in achieving development targets in Nigeria.

She said despite the growing recognition of violence against women as a public health and human rights concern, and of the obstacle it posed for development, not much has been done to tackle the menace.

She said women have had these acts inflicted upon them under the guise of cultural practices and other forms of social discrimination adding that the patriarchal nature of our communities permits women to be subjected to many of such practices, which also exposes them to various health hazards, including HIV/AIDS.

She said such violent acts could also negatively affect the lives of their children and therefore, stressed the need for stronger action to empower women, promote gender equality and end all forms of violence against women.

She said the on-going review of the National Gender Policy 2005, will not only assist government in tackling gender-mainstreaming and women empowerment but would also support the current efforts to address GBV in the country.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Deputy Country Director of USAID in Nigeria, Mr. Masauso Nzima, said his agency would bring to the table, technical resources to support the work the Ministry has been doing on GBV and HIV/AIDS, with lessons learnt from other parts of the region.