The Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, has said 30 per cent of women and girls between the ages of 15-49 experience different forms of sexual abuse.

Mrs Tallen said this, on Tuesday in Abuja, at a panel discussion to commemorate the International Day of the Midwife 2021, and the Orange World Campaign Flag-off.

The theme of the event was, “Access to Services For GBV Survivors in Nigeria: A Call to Action.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the advocacy event was organised by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), as part of its mandate of engaging health professional associations in ending Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in Nigeria.

Mrs Tallen attributed the rising number sexual abuse, especially in the North-east, to prevailing factors like child marriage and terrorism.

The minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Anthonia Ekpa, said Nigeria experienced different forms of sexual abuse, and that the patriarchal nature of the society.

“The situation has further worsened as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic which has been described as a shadow pandemic.

“The pandemic has seen a surge on reports of gender-based violence cases nationwide, which has led to the diversion of priorities and resources to address these issues.

“There is continuous advocacy and ongoing amendments to existing policies to accommodate best practices in combating this pandemic,” she explained.

Source: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/459410-3-in-10-women-girls-experience-sexual-abuse-in-nigeria-tallen.