The Governor of Benue State, Revd Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has said that his administration is working to address the immediate and pressing need for the establishment of family courts in the state.
He also assured of inclusion of substantial representation of women in critical decision-making facets of his administration.
The governor stated this on Friday at a stakeholders consultation on women’s inclusion and effective Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) organised by the Nigeria League of Women Voters (NILOWV), with support from Palladium and USAID-Scale.
Represented by the Director-General on International Cooperation and Development, Mr Leo Viashima, Alia said that he was aware of the manifold advantages that the state could reap from a more equitable representation of women within his governance structures.
“It is an undeniable fact that the incidence of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) can be significantly reduced when we empower capable and dedicated women to occupy key positions in our government.
“We welcome your invaluable inputs and insights through the International Cooperation and Development Coordinating Unit, as this process unfolds.”
He expressed appreciation for the invaluable contributions of development partners, who have steadfastly supported the development initiatives in Benue state and acknowledged NILOWV and Palladium, in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), for their unwavering commitment to the SCALE Project, which facilitated the crucial consultative engagement.
In her remarks, the Deputy Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Mrs Lamin Danladi, said she became a member of the assembly and subsequently the deputy speaker, due largely to the efforts, awareness, resource mobilisation and demands for women’s inclusion in political leadership and decision making by the Civil Society Organisations and development partners.
Mrs Danladi promised to use her position to champion and push for legislation that would yield the desired gender or women transformative change.
“I believe that gender and transformative change are pathways to address injustices and violent acts meted to women such as SGBV”, she said.
The lawmaker, therefore, pledged to support and lobby her colleagues to review critical legislation in favour of women and the girl-child.
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