Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dame Pauline Tallen, has called for the protection of women as well as the scaling up of efforts at the protection of women in politics and governance in the country.

According to her, women had contributed tremendously to the growth and development of the country and should be given significant opportunities in leadership positions.

Tallen, who bemoaned incessant violence against women in politics, said the Federal Government would continue to engage in the campaigns against gender-based violence against women during elections which could negatively influence the outcome of the forthcoming general elections.

She spoke in Abuja yesterday during a national dialogue organised by Women in Politics Forum to develop strategies and tactics for preventing violence against women in the 2023 elections.

The Minister said that they will not dampen their spirit because they have qualified women in all the political parties, they will keep pushing and all those supervising the election should stand firm and protect the few women contesting because these women have good records when it comes to performance and that no woman would see people suffering and not do anything about it.

The country Director, Actionaid Nigeria, Ene Obi, called for tougher punitive measures against perpetrators of violence against women in politics, saying all women must begin to collectively rise against acts of violence targeted at other women.

He said that this is the greatest country in the world where we have women journalists and women lawyers and if one does not protect a woman close to them, they too are not protected.

Meanwhile, WIPF President, Barr. Ebere Ifendu explained the dialogue was organised to draw up an action plan towards curbing violence against women in the 2023 elections, noting that violence against women in politics is highly underreported and seems not to receive as much attention as other areas of gender based violence.