Tunde Ajaja
The Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator of the United Nations in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, has said there is no way Nigeria can develop without full participation of women.
He noted that as a father of four female children, he knows that women can do what men can do, given the right environment. He therefore called on men to create the enabling environment for women and support an end to violence against them.
Kallon spoke on Thursday at a virtual roundtable conference with traditional and religious leaders on ‘Eliminating gender-based violence and harmful practices against women and girls’, hosted by the European Union-United Nations Spotlight Initiative. The webinar was anchored by Mr Oluseyi Soremekun and Ms Moji Makanjuola.
The UN chief said, “As we talk about a pandemic in a pandemic, nothing comes across so sharp that we have learnt within the shortest possible time as the violence against women and girls, especially during the lockdown in Nigeria. Violence against women is a crime against humanity.
“We are in a country where close to 50 per cent of the population are women; there is no way Nigeria is going to develop without the full participation of women and I think this is the hard fact; why should we continue eliminating, harming them? They are bona fide members of society and require our support at all levels.”
He said people who commit rape have mental issues to deal with and that legislation was critical to stop the crime.
He added, “At times when I hear about rape, the first thing I think about is mental illness of people who commit these heinous crimes against women. How long are we going to allow this mental illness to continue in this great nation?
“Legislation is critical to stop people from committing this crime against women, especially young girls. So, what are we the men doing and how can we ensure that violence against women is eliminated? This is a call to eliminate gender-based violence and try to stop all harmful practices against women. I can assure you as a father of four girls, they (women) can do anything if you create an enabling environment for them.”
In her speech, UN Deputy Secretary General, Mrs Amina Mohammed, describe women commit rape as weak.
She added, “It should be known that men and boys who commit violence against women and girls are just simply not men; they are weak, it’s shameful and they are sadly the textbook definition of cowards. And for those who turn a blind eye or deaf ears, saying it’s a private matter, know that you too are accomplices to violence.”
