The joint EU-UN Spotlight Initiative and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, on Tuesday,
launched a National Data Situation Room to record incidences of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) across the country.
The Minster of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, said during the launch in Abuja that the Initiative, a global multi-year partnership
between the EU and the UN, was aimed at reducing the prevalence of VAWG.
Tallen said that the national data situation room and dashboard on Gender Based Violence (GBV) was an innovative data
visualisation platform that would allow decision makers and programme managers to analyse, view and respond to widespread
incidences of violence against women and girls.
She added that the data would also be used to work out plans for survivors of GBV, particularly those who endured the menace during the COVID-19 lockdown.
She said that the ministry was working with security operatives, the media and other stakeholders to assist in the crusade toward ending GBV.
Sadiya Umar-Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, who described the initiative as apt,
noted that it would reduce the prevalence of violence meted out to women and girls.
Dr Hajo Sani, the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Administration and Women Affairs, Office of the First Lady, said the lack of accurate
data had affected efforts toward eliminating GBV in the society.
Sani, therefore, commended the efforts of the government for launching the situation room and data dashboard, which she said would provide
the necessary information that would eliminate violence.
UN Deputy Secretary General, Amina Mohammed, decried the prevalence of violence against women and girls globally, especially during the COVID-19
lockdown.
Mohammed stressed the need for stakeholders to unite against the menace.
She also said that the national situation room and data dashboard, which would receive reports online, would be piloted in Adamawa, Cross River,
Ebonyi, Lagos, Sokoto and the FCT, and be replicated in other states.
Ms Comfort Lamptey, the UNWomen Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said that the absence of a harmonised platform and
statistics on GBV affected appropriate response and preventive action that would end the menace.
Lamptey said that the launch of the initiative would provide available and accessible data on incidences of GBV.
The EU Ambassador, Mr Ketil Karlsen, reiterated the commitment of the union toward supporting government policies that would rid violence in the society.
The UN Resident Coordinator, Mr Edward Kallon, said that the launch of the data situation room would aide in achieving the goal five of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on gender equality and empower women and girls.
UNDP Resident Representative, Mohammed Yahaya, said the organisation was working with partners to strengthen institutions, policies and data availability
to end violence against women and girls.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the minister also decorated the EU Ambassador and the UN Resident Coordinator for their role in championing
the affairs of women and girls. (NAN)
