The Minister of Women Affair and Social development, Pauline Tallen, has accused Nigerian entertainers of promoting the abuse of women’s bodies.

According to her, entertainers have been frustrating government’s efforts at curbing the violation of women by promoting vulgar lyrics and using female dancers in a most disdainful manner.

Tallen made this observation while delivering a speech at the launch of the State of the World Population 2021’ report in Abuja on Tuesday. Speaking on the theme, ‘My Body is My Own: Claiming the Right to Autonomy and Self-Determination,’ the minister said the Federal Government was working hard to tackle fear and stigma of survivors of violence, weak community and facility referral systems, lack of counselling services for women and girls and the communities as well as seek justice for victims.

She, however, stated that entertainers were frustrating the government’s plans. “It is almost disheartening to note that while we are confronting these obstacles to increase advocacy, the entertainment industry which has a large followership of young minds, continues to indirectly support the abuse of the female body as a sex object through vulgar lyrics and employment of female dancers in compromising customs.

This is indeed unacceptable. I want to use this opportunity to appeal to producers and writers to support us so that together we can ensure that Nigerian society is able to guarantee an environment where girls and women are able to make choices about their bodies without the fear of violence or having someone else decide for them,” she added.