Source: Nigerian Tribune                                                                                                                                                                                                         The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development is to partner with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), in the fight against the growing cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and HIV/AIDS in the country.

This was the high point of a meeting between the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr Habiba Lawal and the Deputy Country Director of USAID in Nigeria, Mr Masauso Nzima, held in Abuja, at the weekend.

Dr Lawal, who expressed serious concern over the increasing cases GBV in Nigeria, regretted that "violence against women in particular hinders progress in achieving development targets in Nigeria."

She observed that despite the growing recognition of violence against women as a public health and human rights concern and the obstacle it posed for development, not much had been done to tackle the menace.

• Nigeria