The Federal Government has sought stronger and more coordinated responses and approaches to the issue of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in view of its danger to the lives of women and girls.

Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), made the call yesterday in Abuja, while addressing a high-level engagement with states on promoting the rule of law, access to justice and enhancing criminal justice pathway to addressing violence against women and girls.

Represented by the Solicitor General of the Federation (SGF) and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Beatrice Jeddy-Agba, the AGF said the problem of SGBV has continued to dominate national and global discussions owing to its prevalence and difficulties in detecting and prosecuting most offenders.

He said SGBV are mostly state offences, predominantly committed in communities, adding that the Federal Government is committed to the implementation of its obligation under the convention on the elimination and discrimination against women and other international human rights instruments, as well as national laws prohibiting incidences of SGBV.

Fagbemi said his ministry is currently reviewing the National Policy on Justice 2007 to encapsulate SGBV matters, and provide a sustainable framework for addressing the problem.

He stressed the need for investigative, prosecutorial and adjudicatory capacities to keep pace with developments and evolving patterns and forms of SGBV.

Speaking earlier, Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Ohaneye, berated the police for how they handle SGBV cases, warning: “Enough is enough with the poor handling of SGBV cases by the police;”