Commissioner of Police receives award for combating violence against women

The CP was honoured on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

The Niger State Commissioner of Police, Diseye Nsirim, on Thursday in Abuja received a 2014 International Women’s Day, IWD, commemoration award.

Ms. Nsirim, one of the only two female CPs in Nigeria, was recognised alongside three others: Itoro Eze-Anaba, the Dutse Emirate Council, and Juliet Ibekaku for their fight against all kinds of violence against women.

IWD, usually marked on March 8 every year, is a day when women and men celebrate the progress made in achieving women’s rights and also call for increased action in deepening and sustaining these achievements.

This year’s event, themed, Women Peace and Security: The Missing MDG, was organised by Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme, NSRP, in partnership with Justice for All, J4A, both Department for International Development sponsored programmes.

Speaking at the event, the Gender Advisor of NSRP,  Eleanor Nwadinobi, presenting the National Action Plan, NAP, for the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution, UNSCR, 1325 in Nigeria, said it was necessary for the NAP to be implemented at the grassroots level. She encouraged individuals to take the NAP to their various constituencies for implementation.

Ms. Nwadinobi emphasised that it was difficult to expect visible development in the absence of peace.

She asked, “How can you talk about development if peace is not available?”

The Programme Manager, NSRP, Ukoha Ukiwo, noted that replication of efforts, lack of information sharing, and lack of full inclusion of women in issues that concern them have led to the marginalisation of women in Nigeria. He said that even institutes set to manage conflicts in the country have become weak because of these. He advocated support for the participation and inclusion of women in decision making on public and community activities, saying it was very crucial to peace building.

The secretary general, Women’s Right Advancement and Protection Alternative, WRAPA, Saudatu Mahdi, admonished participants, especially women, never to tolerate violence of any form as the norm.

“There is nothing private about violence, especially violence against the vulnerable;  be it husband against wife, madam against househelp or whatever. There is no space for tolerance of violence or business as usual,” Ms. Mahdi said.

She encouraged women to always speak up in defence of their human rights.

While commending the efforts of the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, towards the protection of the rights of women, Ms. Nsirim said that the Nigeria police, especially the Niger command, had made good use of the Child Right Act and was in the forefront of protecting women and children.