As part of efforts to address cases of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and other vices in the country, the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Women Affairs, has disclosed its readiness to introduce mobile courts.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohaneye, at a briefing in Abuja, on Monday, said, “If we have a mobile court, it will help as we go for our advocacy against SGBV. We have been advocating, and spending money, to no avail.
She disclosed this part of reforms and targets she hopes to realise in her first 100 days in office.
“When victims report, police will come in for arrest, we will take the victim straight to the hospital to confirm and then the mobile courts come in to ensure justice is served.”
She stressed the need for a different approach to interventions targeting grassroots women. She highlighted the importance of working with women cooperatives to implement empowerment projects that can be sustained by the recipients beyond the initial government support.
“The narrative has changed in this ministry. We have decided to forge ahead with more sustainable moves that will impact our women and children.
“Sanitary towels being given to girls in some schools from time to time is not sustainable; therefore, we have decided that instead of giving them the sanitary towels, we set up sanitary pad production ventures. Sharing gas cylinders to rural women is also not sustainable; the ministry is concerned about who refills the gas stove for the rural woman after the first refill. We have decided to, instead, give them charcoal burners and biogas stoves among others,” she noted.
In a meeting with students’ union representatives on the sidelines of the briefing, the minister reiterated government’s stand with Nigerian women, girls and boys, as well as her stand for justice on any case of sexual harassment in the country.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
