From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has emphasised that perpetrators of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Nigeria must face the consequences so as to defeat the menace.
The minister at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Gender-Based Violence and Harmful Social Norms Summit in Abuja, addressed the persistent issue of gender norms and their detrimental impact on society, expressing concern that despite decades of advocacy, there has been little improvement in addressing harmful practices, largely due to lack of punishment for offenders.
She described GBV as one of the greatest ills against humanity, which requires a concerted approach to ensure its elimination from society.
She also highlighted the stark difference in accountability between Nigeria and other countries, where legal repercussions deter harmful behaviours. She pointed out that in Nigeria, connections often shield perpetrators from justice, allowing abuses such as female genital mutilation and ‘money marriages’ to persist.
She said: “Some of us have been on this issue for decades and I believe that it’s not improving. People continue doing it because there are no consequences.
“I always mention the issue of consequences because overseas, they are afraid to commit crime or break social norms or do things that can harm another because when you do it, you will face the consequences legally and otherwise. But here in Nigeria, when you commit a crime and you have a connection, before you know it, the matter dies a natural death.
“So on this note, to support this honourable thing that the UNFPA and the first lady did today, we in the Ministry of Women Affairs, will move further to make sure that there will be consequences if you commit such a crime.”
The Minister recounted a recent initiative in the PIBA community in Abuja, where harmful practices like breast ironing were addressed by her ministry. She explained that local leaders were engaged to educate the community through culturally relevant methods, including music and local dialects. This approach, she said, was aimed at raising awareness while fostering community ownership of the issue.
To bolster enforcement, Kennedy-Ohanenye said the Ministry had introduced mobile courts to expedite justice for GBV cases, a move supported by the Chief Justice and the President.
She assured that any future violations would be met with swift legal action, emphasising the importance of giving women and children a voice in the matter.
She also stressed the necessity of empowering women economically to enhance their participation in governance. By improving access to education and resources, she said the Ministry aims to dismantle the barriers that prevent women from asserting themselves in both public and private spheres.
“We don’t only have female genital mutilation. We have a money marriage, where they use babies to get loans from old men and give out the babies to them.
“It is happening life and direct and we equally have the breast ironing, which we have addressed, here in Abuja, in the FIBA community.
“I don’t look at it as ignorance. I look at it mainly as wickedness and inhumanity to humans. So, when we heard it, we went to FIBA to visit them, and when we got there, we spoke to them about the disadvantages of what they were doing, and we all agreed to sensitise them. In sensitising them, we didn’t do the normal thing of just sending troops, spending money, and at the end of the day, only a few people will hear it.
“We decided to use their chiefs and district heads, where we carry the music they understand. And they went with banners from one village square to the other, dancing with their people and speaking in the language they understand after which, we empowered them.
“Because a hungry man is an angry man, we brought them a whole lot of empowerment to make them very happy. Then they signed an MOU with us that if they do it again, we should take a legal action, and after they’ve signed the MOU, we have our whistle blowers that will give us information in case they try it again.
Meanwhile, Kennedy-Ohanenye has offered an unnamed reward for assistance to promptly locate a mentally unstable woman seen in a viral video made by her daughter, whom she accused of exploiting for personal gain.
In the disturbing video which has sparked widespread outrage, the footage shows a young woman, believed to be a content creator, filming and engaging with her visibly unwell and unkempt mother.
However, her decision to film and share this private moment with her mentally ill parent has been met with strong criticism from the public and government officials.
In the video, the unnamed content creator introduced the mentally unstable woman as her mother, explaining that her mother’s mental illness began after the death of her father.
The young lady claimed that her mother initially cared for herself and her siblings but gradually deteriorated mentally.
According to her, the mother has been living on the streets, but she visits her occasionally to provide food and money.
Reacting to the development in a post via her verified X page @BarrUjuKennedy, on Monday, the minister described the video as disturbing, unacceptable and potentially harmful.
The Minister in response to the viral video featuring a young woman filming her mentally unstable mother, emphasised that such actions contradict the value of empathy and care.
She urged the public to show compassion and understanding towards those suffering from mental health issues, highlighting the importance of protecting and supporting vulnerable members of society rather than exploiting them for online attention.
Kennedy-Ohanenye wrote: “We condemn the disturbing video report of a woman’s mental illness being exploited by her daughter for personal gain and social media content. This is unacceptable, potentially harmful, and troubling.
“We strongly condemn exploiting vulnerable individuals, especially those struggling with mental health issues. Mental illness demands compassion, understanding and support, not ridicule or exploitation.
“The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs urgently requests information about the mother’s identity and condition to ensure proper care and protection. A reward is offered for prompt location assistance.
“Appropriate actions must be taken to address this situation. We call on everyone to respect the dignity and humanity of those facing mental health issues and report similar instances immediately.
“Let’s work together to prevent exploitation and support those who need it most.”