Aisha Buhari wants strategic partnership to end GBV

The First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has called for more determination among stakeholders on strategic partnership to end female genital mutilation and gender based violence (GBV) in Nigeria.

Buhari made the call when she received the Executive Director, United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA), Dr Natalia Kanem and her management team at the State House, on Thursday in Abuja.

She said her pet project, the Aisha Buhari Foundation under the Future Assured Initiative had continued to play a key role in supporting women and vulnerable children through the strategic partnership with the UNFPA.

She, however, noted that more needed to be done to advance the girl- child education and stop gender based violence as well as female genital mutilation.

“For the past six years, I have worked through my pet project the Future Assured Initiative and private sector engagement to advance the course of women and children, especially in the areas of health, education, women and youth empowerment” she said.

Responding, Kanem expressed delight with the first lady’s efforts through Future Assured Initiative in tackling gender based violence, girl child education.

She also commended the first Lady’s efforts at deepening advocacy to states to create awareness to end violence against women and girls.

Kanem expressed UNFPA’s continued readiness to support efforts toward ending sexual violence against women and girls as well as addressing problems associated with Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH+N).

Our correspondent reports that the UNFPA delegation was in Nigeria as part of its 16 days activism against GBV