The Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, OFR, KSG has endorsed the quest for synergy with her Ministry by the Ford Foundation to put some joint programmes and projects in place to put at bay, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Nigeria.
Dame Pauline Tallen who was represented by the Acting Permanent Secretary/Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Idris Mohammed, while welcoming the Ford Foundation Team of two made up of the Regional Director of the Foundation in West Africa, Dr. Chichi Aniagolu-Okoye and the Programme Officer, Olufunke Baruwa gave a tacit endorsement of the quest for synergy with the Ministry in areas of its mandate, especially on GBV.
The endorsement of the Ford Foundation quest for synergy was given when the Regional Director of the Foundation in West Africa came on a courtesy call to the Ministry on Thursday, 14th July, 2022.
At a brief meeting between the two organizations held at the Conference Room of the Ministry, the Acting Permanent Secretary, Mr. Idris Muhammed, speaking on behalf of the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen stated that Gender-Based Violence is a raging scourge which came stronger with the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that it has a negative effect generally on businesses owned and operated by women.
Dame Tallen stated that 75% of the economic development of the country solely depends on women; noting that women, girls and children need to be protected all-round and given equal opportunities. She stated that the Ministry has various Departments to ensure that the interest of women, girls and children are taken care of.
The Minister’s representative further disclosed that a lot of interventions have been carried out by the Ministry, going on to identify areas of possible synergy are:
I. Promotion of Gender Equality and Women Empowerment in general;
II. Dissemination and capacity Building of the National Gender Policy across the Six-Geo-Political Zones of the Federation;
III. Eliminate VVF: Rehabilitation and Reintegration/Reunification of victims of Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) and Recto Vaginal Fistula (RVF) Sufferers Programme in Nigeria;
IV. Women Economic Empowerment and Skill Acquisitions across the Federation;
V. Promotion of Child Education/ end Child marriage across the Federation;
VI. Sensitization of Advocacy to end Gender-Based-Violence across the Six Geo-Political Zones of the Federation; and
VII. Promotion of Increase of Women in Political Participation and Decision Making towards National Development.
Earlier on, the Regional Director of Ford Foundations, West Africa, Chichi Aniagolu-Okoye revealed that the major motive for their courtesy visit is to explore area of synergy between their Foundation and Federal Ministry of Women Affairs. She thanked the Minister for giving them adequate
audience as they look forward to knowing the Ministry more and what the Ministry does and to collaborate more on tackling the menace of Gender-Based Violence against women, girls and children.
By Amina Dimlong (Chief Information Officer) with contributions from Olaoye Boluwatife (NYSC Member) & Agbo Maria (Intern).
Signed.
Olujimi Oyetomi, Director, Press & Publicity
