The Federal Government, through the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaam Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has reiterated its commitment to the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) and other forms of discrimination against women.
The Minister gave the assurance on Tuesday during a working visit to Ogun State, where she made a stopover at the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Asero, Abeokuta.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim lamented that 31 percent of Nigerian women aged 15–49 have experienced physical violence, while over 28 percent have suffered sexual violence at least once in their lifetime.
“These are not mere statistics; they are daughters, sisters, mothers, and neighbours. Each number carries a human face and a human story. They remind us that GBV is not a private problem but a community crisis that undermines peace, family life, and development. This is why we must act urgently, with both compassion and commitment,” she said.
The Minister commended Ogun State for being one of the 35 states that have domesticated the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, noting that it reflects the government’s determination to provide justice and protection for survivors. She also assured continuous partnership with the state to strengthen referral centres, expand services, and ensure survivors have access to legal assistance, counselling, and economic reintegration under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Social Impact Intervention Programmes.
In her remarks, the Ogun State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Adijat Adeleye, affirmed that all Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) across the state, as well as the Women Development Centres (WDCs), were built and fully equipped by the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP), a World Bank-assisted initiative of the state government.
According to her, these facilities have become “fortresses of healing where tears are wiped, voices are restored, and shattered lives begin to find wholeness again.” She called for deeper collaboration, more intervention projects, grassroots awareness, and stronger policies to ensure that “no survivor slips through the cracks.”
“If Ogun State has lit the fire of protection and empowerment through OGSTEP’s interventions, we ask that the Federal Government pour more oil to make the flame impossible to quench,” Adeleye added.
Also speaking, the wife of the Governor, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun, commended the Minister’s favourable disposition towards women, assuring that Ogun women will continue to support President Tinubu and First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu in their efforts to empower women and build a more prosperous Nigeria
