The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, on Tuesday, urged men and other stakeholders to be vanguards in the fight to end Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).

She made the call at a two-day workshop on Domestic Violence organised by the ministry in collaboration with an NGO, Prime Unique Women Initiative (PUWI) in Abuja.

According to her, most reported cases of domestic violence are perpetrated by men against women, even though some men can be victims as well, hence the need for all to intensify efforts toward ending the menace.

“Globally, over 35 per cent of women have experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner or sexual violence by a non-partner at some point in their lives.

“People should be adequately educated and engage all the mechanisms to ensure that cases of domestic violence are not only frowned at but thoroughly dealt with so we can all be guaranteed a safe and secure environment.”

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The minister revealed that government had re-strategised efforts toward combating all forms of violence against women, especially rape, abuse and sexual exploitation of women and girls by launching the National GBV Data Collation Tool.

Others include launch of the National Advocacy Campaign Against Rape and Other GBV, launched the National Violence Against Women and Girls Situation Room and collaborated with stakeholders to investigate and prosecute perpetrators.

The President and Convener of PUWI, Dr Folake Yobah, said the workshop was to intensify advocacies toward ending all forms of violence against women and children.

She said the programme centered on the northern region, while that of the South-South and South-East would be replicated soon.

Sen. Mohammed Bima-Enagi, representing Niger South Senatorial District, described domestic violence as the most prevalent violation of human rights and one of the least prosecuted crimes in the society.

Bima-Enagi, who was represented by Alhaji Haruna Zakari, stressed the need to ensure that perpetrators were prosecuted so as to deter others.

The Nasarawa Governor’s wife, Hajiya Salifat Abdullahi-Sule, who spoke on physical, psychological and social effects of GBV, reiterated her commitment to ensure that survivors received justice.