Lawmaker Charges Female Colleagues To Sponsor Bill On Gender-Based Violence

With the recent killing of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Women Leader, Salome Abuh in the just concluded governorship election in Kogi State, Deputy Majority Leader in the Senate, Senator Ajayi Boroffice has charged the women to be proactive by sponsoring a bill that would put an end to gender-based violence against the womenfolk across the country.

Boroffice spoke with THE WHISTLER at the 16 days of activities to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women organized by Women Supporting Women Network (WSWN) with the theme: ‘Generation Equality, Stands Against Rape’ in Abuja.

The lawmaker, who represents Ondo North Senatorial District in the Senate under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) said the present administration is determined to protect women and would do everything to protect them, adding that the number of women in President Buhari’s cabinet is more than what is prescribed by the United Nations (UN) convention.

He said the government does not condone violence of any kind, adding that the Senate had gone as far as investigating cases of violence against women.

He said: “When you look at the environment and you feel that something must be done to protect women, it is your responsibility to get this done as a bill and we will get people who will sponsor this bill on a private member bill and I can assure you that we will have overwhelming support.

“We are all products of women and I will never support any violence against women. It is through this network that can actually diagnose the problem of women and also propose solutions and when you bring it together in the form of a bill and is submitted to the National Assembly; we will look into it and we subject it to the legislative process. Once it is passed it becomes a law of the federation.

“We are sympathetic to women, we know what they are doing for us and we know what they are contributing to the economy and to the political stability of this country and therefore we will not do anything that will show that we will not respect our women.”

President and Founder of Women Supporting Women Network, Mrs. Toyin Omozuwa noted that violence against women is a global pandemic that affects 1 in 3 women and girls in their lifetime.

She added that it is high time women spoke out against violence, adding that the network supports the recently launched website by the Federal Government to shame and name individuals involved in violence against women.

Also speaking, Founder She Forum Africa, Inimfon Etuk said the conversation seeks to encourage women particularly victims to speak out when they were molested rather than keeping silent.

“The only solution is for us to be more strategic on how to deal with this menace because we cannot grow a country by keeping silent, ” Etuk said.