Nigerians across the country have commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for prioritizing the needs and affairs of women, children, families and vulnerable groups in the country in an unprecedented manner.

They also thanked the President and his wife, the First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, for their bold Initiatives that have empowered millions of Nigerian women and children in the last eight months of Honourable Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim as Minister of Women Affairs.

They expressed these sentiments at the the launch of the Costed National Action Plan on Ending Violence Against Children at the two-day Global Alliance to End Violence Against Children by 14 pathfinding countries held in Abuja yesterday.

The women through songs and the children with their dramatic performances on the stage extolled the values of the Tinubu’s administration manifest in the policies, programmes and empowerment being carried out by Hajiya Sulaiman-Ibrahim Ibrahim across the country.

The minister thanked President Tinubu and the First Lady for their love and support for women, children, families, and assured Nigerians that the Tinubu’s administration has shown courage and resolve in addressing violence against children and women.

The President, who was represented by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, also expressed confidence that when future generations look back at this moment, “they will see that we, the leaders of today, rose to the occasion.

That we responded with courage, with compassion, and with a fierce belief in the right of every child to be safe, to be seen, and to be heard.

“They will remember that this was the moment we answered the call—to end violence against children in our lifetime.”

Sulaiman-Ibrahim noted, however, that every act of violence against a child, whether physical, emotional, sexual, or structural is a violation of their dignity, a betrayal of shared humanity, and a threat to the collective prosperity and national security.

She said: “As Nigeria’s Minister of Women, Children, families and the vulnerable , I have seen firsthand how the intersectionality of gender and age makes boys and girls especially vulnerable, particularly to child marriage, sexual violence, and child labour.

“Women and mothers are often the first line of defense for children. But they cannot protect children if they themselves are unsafe or unsupported. Violence against women and violence against children are interlinked. where one exists, the other often follows. I am therefore of the school of thought that we must prioritize gender responsive and child-sensitive systems that do not merely protect, but empower.

“We are very intentional about this committment and that is why we have developed a Strategic Roadmap for the Ministry of Women Affairs which outlines a forward-looking blueprint designed to advance gender equality and women empowerment (GEWE), enhance child protection and Child Participation and child development , and promote inclusive development across Nigeria.

It is aligned with the Nigeria Agenda 2050 and Nigeria National Development Plan 2021-2025.”

The minister urged the visiting delegates from 14 African countries and Iceland, to ensure that national laws are aligned with international conventions, such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

“Our Laws must be enforced without exception, especially in cases involving powerful perpetrators or harmful cultural practices.

” Ending violence requires an integrated response from health to justice, education to social protection. Child protection systems must be adequately resourced, community-based, and accessible even in the most remote areas.

“Thirdly Invest in Prevention: Prevention is not only more humane, it is more cost-effective. Parenting programs, school-based safety campaigns, community sensitization, and empowering children as agents of change must be scaled up. Prevention must also include addressing the root causes of violence: poverty, gender inequality, harmful norms, and weak governance.”