The Minister of Affairs of Women denounces the degeneration of morality, members …

● saddened by horrible violations of the rights of defenseless and vulnerable people

The Minister of Female Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim denounced the degeneration of morals and values ​​in Nigerian societies.

He observed that the degeneration had seen a few months old boy raped, a 2 -year -old girl stolen from her mother’s bed and raped by several men and other different violations of the rights of defenseless and vulnerable people.

Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of the Knowledge-enhancing Session on Gender-Based Violence with Faith-Based Organisations in Abuja organized by United Nations Women, The Minister Said: “I am deeply troubled by the Horrors i have witnesed during my travels across the Country, AS I Listened, Observed, and Axsed the Realities Faced by Women, Children, and Other Vulnerable Groups, the Could Not Help But question How Our Societal Values ​​and Moral ResponSiSability Have So Deeply weakened.

“I saw rapes for a few months, a 2 -year -old girl stolen from the bed of mothers and raped by several men and other different violations of the rights of the defenseless and vulnerables who reflect deeper social issues.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I remained face to face with such a deep trauma that the words and the harsh truth is that even while we get together here today, somewhere in this country, a girl is raped, a young boy is violated and a woman is losing a form of escaped that states that our maintenance that is committing to destruction of what has been in a disturbance that have committed to the destruction of what to destroy.

He observed that: “At the center of this national emergency there is a break of the family holiness, the first community, the first school, the first place of worship. Family cohesion is the first and fundamental fundamental firewall against GBV. When the family unit fails, the society falters. Business to give priority not only to the protection of women and children, but also of the promotion of family cohesion, peaceful parents and intergenerational stability.”

He added that: “However, our mission cannot be successful without you, our leaders of faith. Combines a deep moral authority. Your platforms reach the heart of every Nigerian house. But we must also recognize, with humility and crack, that some leaders of the faith have been implicated in the violations themselves for violations. Religious institutions.

“Allow me to underline that no clerical title, dress or pulpit should protect faith -based organizations must rise to the highest standards of responsibility, transparency and protection. You must establish clear codes of conduct, a defense sensitive to survivors.

The minister insisted that: “In addition to institutional reform, your role in modeling the national consciousness is irreplaceable. You are able to: promote the prohibition of violence against people (Old) Act 2015 and the Child Rights Act (CRA) 2003 through your jurisdictions

“Use your sermons and teachings to face the cultural rules that apologize or perpetuate violence among others.”

He revealed that: “In line with the renewed agenda of hope, the Ministry is working assiduously to: expand safe spaces, reference paths and trauma services for GBV survivors through partnerships with the private sector

“He works to establish a national agency for social protection to face the wider vulnerabilities of women, children and families

“And the cohesion of the family anchored as a central pillar of social protection and national development.”

He asked them to let their places of worship and religious platforms become citadels of protection and moral clarity, underlining that: “We teach our communities that no faith condes abuse, no writing justifies violence and no tradition must prevail over human dignity”.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim has appealed to them: “Let’s transform today’s conversation in tomorrow’s transformation. Together, we can build a Nigeria in which faith raised the family, family unit and no woman or child is left behind”.

Previously, the representative of the women of the United Nations in Nigeria and Ecowas, Mrs. Beatrice Eyong, in her opening observations, told: “While we get together here today, we are reminded that GBV remains one of the most persistent and devastating human rights violations.

“In Nigeria, the data of the National Demographic and Health Survey 2018 paint a dark picture. 30% of women aged between 15 and 49 have undergone physical violence since the age of 15 and 9% have been subjected to sexual violence.

He observed that: “Behind every statistics there is a name, a face, a story. A girl married before her body is ready. A woman affected in silence in her own home. A survivor has been ridiculed for looking for justice. Throughout the country, the scars are visible; broken families, school abandonment, mental health trauma and cycles of violence that continue through generations.

Eyong, while recognizing that Nigeria has made significant progress with the passage of laws on the point of reference such as violence against ACT (Odt) Act 2015 people and the Child Rights Act 2003, has noticed that “we have to face a tough truth: the laws are not enough. The gap between legislation and local implementation, in particular in the rural and traditional settings in broad.”

He appealed that: “Dear religious leaders, your participation here is not only timely, but it is essential.

“Whether in churches or in mosques, on pulpiti or minbar, in homes or on radio waves – your voices bring an immense authority. Six custodian of moral values, spiritual guides and conflict of conflict of conflict. Design social norms. Influences hearts and minds. And you can support or challenge the deeply rooted genre that involve violence.

“The scriptures of both Christianity and Islam teach the holiness of life, the dignity of every human being and the responsibility of protecting vulnerable. The Bible reminds us that” whatever you did for the minimum of these brothers and sisters, you did for me “. 5:32).”

He said that: “This session is designed to support your work as a spiritual leader. It will provide tools, evidence and strategies to the community to help you preach, consult, mediate and guide in ways that promote dignity, justice and non -violence. It will also explore how religious institutions can serve as early warning systems and safe spaces for survivors to seek help.”

Eyong, however, urged them that they should not let the gathering be only another meeting, but a turning point – a time when the leaders of faith come together through the doctrines to say: it is enough. Violence against women and girls is not ordered by God. It is a human failure and it is in our power to change.

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