Olayemi Esan, Abuja
The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Pauline Tallen has appealed to wives of all the State governors and State governors to create and build Shelters to improve interventions for migrant women and children to tackle the problem of gender based violence.
Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, who spoke on a radio current affairs programme on Friday said, by creating shelter, all the women and Children migrants will be taking back their the communities for rehab.
She also added that the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to improve interventions for migrant women and children.
The MoU, which was signed in Abuja, on Thursday, would also focus on interventions around gender-based violence, child rights as well as violence against persons.
She noted that the MoU would foster the relationship between the ministry and IOM on interventions in areas of mutual interest.
The Minister noted that the MoU was coming at the right time in view of the gender based challenges affecting women.
"Emphasis directed to mitigate the plight of migrant women and children and those living under difficult circumstances still require some certain effort from stakeholders.
"We must therefore scale up our activities to ensure that we assure them that the present administration under the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari truly cares.
“The MoU is coming at the appropriate time as we work towards the development of the Third National Action Plan as prepared for the implementation of the UN Security Council resolution on Women, Peace and Security.
“I am convinced that the implementation of the provisions of the work plan and MoU will not only be inclusive but will also impact positively on the wellbeing of the target group. We will focus on the interventions around gender-based violence, Child Rights Act of 2002 and Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act of 2015, migrant child protection, disarmament, demobilisation, reintegration.
“This will, therefore, go a long way to refocus projects and programmes that will help the country and impact positively to alleviate the situation of our target beneficiaries,” she said.
She added that the ministry had been at the forefront of addressing migrants’ issue and such coordinated intervention was very important and timely.
Pauline Tallen also said the government have been in touch with the parents of the adopted Chibok girls seven years after with a view to releasing them
She added that some of the released Chibok girls have gained admission into the University
She said, the Chief of Mission to Nigeria IOM, Mr France Celestine said, the agreement forge to privatize the well being of women migrants.
