BY ANKELI EMMANUEL Sokoto.
The Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development has strongly warned against all forms of Gender Based Violence, harmful cultural practices and Violence against women and girls, saying the society should assist survivors to not only seek redress but also ensure that perpetrators are punished in accordance with the laws.
Malam Musa Muhammad Galadanchi who spoke on behalf of the Foundation, added that violence against women and girls continues to linger in our societies because most parents are not raising up to their responsibilities.
Giving objectives of the one day town hall meeting with Faith and Cultural Leaders on Community Awareness On Violence Against Women an Girls in commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism in Sokoto, the Programme Officer of the Sultan Foundation, Barrister Rashidat Mohammed said the participants as respected people in their respective societies were brought together to discuss and proger solutions to issues of GBV, HP and all other forms of violence.
“”One of the things we intend to achieve from this town hall meeting is to sensitize both men and women, and create more awareness by reaching out to people in the communities using their religious and traditional leaders on how best to help curb the menace.
“”And this is more so that, the religious and traditional leaders are gatekeepers in their respective areas whom people tend to align themselves more with. Therefore, the message of uniting to end violence against women and girls will be well taken more seriously when it comes from them than partners”.
Barrister Rashidat further noted that the town hall meeting will help the participants to educate community members about the negative consequences of GBV, influence policies and laws that protect women’s rights, support GBV services and provide mediation and conflict resolution services to help resolve disputes ad prevent GBV.
Making presentation on GBV Preventive Mechanisms: Leveraging The Influence Of Faith and Cultural Leaders, Mutaka Suleiman from the Sokoto State Ministry of Women and Children Affairs said, taking preventive mechanisms is very crucial towards halting GBV.
According to Mutaka, responding to incident is only but a way to cushion the effect of the damage done, but will never completely erase the memory.
Mutaka further stressed that the first step towards prevention is sensitization, “”this can be formal or informal. As participants here today, if you go back to your respective places and speak to people about “No To GBV”, you have begun the preventive job.
While noting both the VAPP and Child Protection Laws of Sokoto are explicit on punitive measures to perpetrators, Mutaka urged participants to be ambassadors of ending GBV.
Participants at the one day town hall meeting cladded with uniforms labeled ” There’s No Excuse For Violence”, conclusively resolved to stand up to the call on ending Violence Against Women and Girls in all it’s forms.
The one day town hall meeting was organized the by Sultan Foundation for
and Development in collaboration with support funding from United Nations Women (EU-Women) LEAP Project in commemoration of the ongoing 16 days of activism.
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