Speaking in Abuja at the National Convening of Traditional Leaders on GBV Prevention and Experience Sharing, held as part of the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, the Minister emphasized that royal fathers play an irreplaceable role in shaping cultural norms and community responses to violence.
According to a statement by her Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Jonathan Eze, the Minister said Nigeria’s GBV statistics remain alarming, with one in three women likely to face violence in their lifetime and 70% of cases occurring within the home.
“We remember the lives lost, we honour survivors, and we recommit to building a Nigeria where every woman and girl lives free from fear,” she said.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim highlighted important national milestones such as the domestication of the Child Rights Act in all 36 states and the FCT and the adoption of the VAPP Act in 35 states and the FCT, but stressed that laws alone cannot stop violence unless they are embraced culturally.
“This is why your leadership as traditional rulers is indispensable,” she told the monarchs.
She announced a National Audit on Women’s Inclusion in Traditional Governance, aimed at mapping women’s representation, identifying inclusive communities, and spotlighting areas needing urgent reform.
Aligning her remarks with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, she listed several interventions improving women’s lives, including: Women Agro-Value Expansion (WAVE) targeting 10 million women, Solar Home Lighting Programme for 500,000 women and Clean Cooking transition protecting over 98,000 women and children annually
The Minister noted that these programmes will achieve deeper impact through stronger collaboration with traditional institutions.
She also revealed that Nigeria is preparing to launch the 3rd National Action Plan (NAP III) on UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which recognises traditional rulers as key custodians in preventing violence, conflict, and harmful practices.
“You are the moral compass of our nation,” she said. “Nigeria cannot defeat gender-based violence without you.”
She urged traditional rulers to extend GBV advocacy beyond Abuja into palaces, councils, cultural gatherings, and community dialogues, insisting that zero tolerance must become a cultural standard.
The convening brought together traditional leaders from kingdoms, emirates, chiefdoms, and councils nationwide, each sharing practices and strategies for building safer, more inclusive communities.
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