Women Affairs Minister seeks aid for insurgency victims

Abuja (Women Affairs Ministry Report) – The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Zainab Maina has called on stakeholders to initiate programmes that would support victims of insurgency to enable them cope with their current situations.
 
The Minister, who made the call in Abuja at the Mid-Term Review Meeting of the 15th Regular National Council on Women Affairs and Social Development observed that most of the victims end up being psychologically traumatized; saying there is therefore need for a programme to help them deal with the trauma. She added that Development Partners and Donors are required to come up with intervention programmes that would help to address psychosocial and traumatic cases as well as counseling of the victims.
 
She lamented that the consequences of persistent violence and activities of insurgents as well as general insecurity in the country are meted on women, children, the aged, Persons with Disabilities and the vulnerable. “Their action is equivalent to declaring war against the nation and whenever there is tension, the Social Development Sector is at the receiving end. This is a national concern. I therefore call on all States, the FCT and stakeholders to focus on adopting support programmes that would assist the victims of insurgency to cope with their situations,” hinted.
 
She further implored relevant agencies of Government to partner with professional social workers in the sector to manage and mitigate the impact of terrorism and other outcomes of the insurgent activities.
 
The Minister prayed for the repose of the souls of the victims of the recent bomb blasts at Nyanya and other parts of the country and to the perpetrators of the abducted school girl at Chibok, she asked God to soften their hearts and grant them the compulsion of releasing the children to their parents.
 
According to her, mid-term review meetings are usually periods of stock-taking on the levels of implementation of the resolutions reached at the preceding council meeting. She revealed that the 15th Regular Council Meeting on Women Affairs and Social Development which held in June 2013 in Lokoja, Kogi State was a success.
 
While observing that the review meeting will help the stakeholders to properly appraise and assess the ways to achieve the targets of the previous meetings before the next 16th Council scheduled to hold in Makurdi, Benue State before the end of 2014; Maina averred that within the period under review and  in accordance to the 35 percent Affirmative Action, the present Administration has appointed a woman as the President of the Court of Appeal and has commenced the review process of the National Gender Policy.
 
She as well noted that the Government has financially supported 100 aged persons and 40 juvenile offenders; published the final country report on the Baseline Survey for Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria. Adding, preparations are in top gear to host a trade fair on the products formed by Persons with Disabilities.
 
Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Habiba Lawal said that the event was designed to enable stakeholders deliberate on the level of implementation of the council’s decisions with a view to adopting additional strategies towards achieving its targets before the next regular meeting.