By Dada Ahmed in Lokoja.
A gender rights activist,Mrs. Halima Oiza Sadiq, has called on the kogi state government to ensure a functional law that would eliminate gender-based violence in the state and bring to justice, perpetrators of violence, most especially against women and girl-child.
Mrs.Halima Oiza Sadiq.
Mrs.Sadiq, who is the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Chachavivi Women and Girl-Child Development Foundation, Lokoja made the call on Saturday in Lokoja while contributing to the media parley organized by APC Professional Women Council in the state.
The parley has as topic;”Policy Advocacy, a Panacea For The Elimination of Gender-based Violence in Kogi State.”
She also called on the state government to domesticate the the National Policy on Gender-, Based Violence in the state.
Sadiq expressed optimism that such action would curb violence against women and girls to the barest minimum and deter those making life unbearable for such segment of population in the society.
She expressed concern that unless drastic action is taken against perpetrators of gender-based violence against women and the rest members of the society, through synergy between government and other stakeholders, the state would continue to record such negative development.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Hajia Fatima Kabir Buba, in her speech,disclosed that the state government had started the process of domesticating the Ndtional Policy on Gender-Based Violence,assuring that a committee towards that effect would be in place soon.
The commissioner, who was represented by a director in the ministry, Mrs.Josephine Motunrayo Babatunde, however ,called for synergy among critical stakeholders in the course of eliminating gender-based violence in the state.
According to Hajia Buba, the ministry is not resting on its oars, adding that it had put in place various programmes to mitigate violence against women and girl-child and to empower women such as cash grants.
Hajia Rekiya Onaivo Sani.
In her address of welcome,the State Coordinator of APC Women Professional Council, Hajia Rekiya Onaivo Sani, said the organization had been doing a lot in sensitizing the public on the danger of gender-based violence against in the state.
According to her, the organization began 16-day of activism which commenced on November 26,2023 and expected to end December 10,2023.
She said though gender-based violence is not limited to women and girl-child,experience showed that bore the larger brunt of the problem.
“APC Women Progressional Council is not all about politics, we are looking at how to build the capacity of women in terms of them acquiring skills to be able to feature, prominently, and match the competences of their partners.
“This is to ensure that the impression that one position is meant for males and another for females is eradicated.
She cautioned women, particularly mothers to be conscious of the way and manner they treat the young ones or the children in order not to inflict them with violence psychologically and otherwise.
Hajia, Sani, who is also the Managing Director, Kogi State Enterprise Development Agency,KEDA, assured women in the state that, 40 per cent of loan enroute through the agency, meant to empower small scale business owners, would be allocated to them to boost their businesses.
The representative of FIDA in the state, Barr. Lilian Okolo, reminded the people that gender-based violence had no ethnicity or any other divisive expressions and stressed the need for functional policy to make its elimination effective in the state.
She said that FIDA had offered legal aid to many women and girl-child in the state who suffered gender-based violence as part of its effort to eliminate such inhuman practice.
Barr.Okolo called for the building of the capacity of the structures and the provision of enabling environment for them for effectively execute their job.
Our correspondent reports that all the speakers at the event commended Hajia Sani for organizing the event, adding that her effort and that of the organization would a long way in contributing to the concerted efforts to mitigate gender-based violence in the state.
The representative of Jamat Nasiru Islam, Alhaji Mohammed Wandana,advised Islamic leaders to stop officially instances of forceful marriage,stressing it is against Islamic injunction.
” Marriage must contracted with the consent of the two parties involved, in accordance with Islamic teaching.
” A lady should not be seen as a weaker sex because that is against the principle of Islam,”he stressed.
Pst.Bola Bala Gbogbo,who represents the christians at the occasion,called on the people to have a change of mind set about issue of gender-based violence and contribute towards eliminating the pervasive action and contribute to peaceful relationship and unity of mankind.
The state cultural troupe thrilled the audience at the occasion with rich cultural dances of the state while some youths read poem on gender-base issues and unity of humanity among others.
Many women groups, youths, members of the media and men among others attended the occasion.
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