By correspondent in Minna.
The Amalgamated Market Traders Union, Minna, Niger State chapter, has called for greater collaboration with key stakeholders to address the increasing cases of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
Comrade Magaji Usman, the Secretary of the Union, made the call during the “Street Bomb’enlightenment campaign, which focused on raising awareness about harmful religious and cultural practices that hinder the growth and development of the girl child.
Usman,who emphasized that sexual violence, particularly against women and girls, is not only an act of cruelty against the victims but also a grave injustice against humanity, called for a unified effort to tackle the growing issue.
Surajo Umar, the Union’s Youth Leader, commended the Dorothy Njemanze Foundation (DNF), which sponsored the Street Bomb campaign.
According to him, the campaign seeks to educate the public about the importance of exposing SGBV perpetrators.
Umar called for stakeholders’ support in ensuring that the message of SGBV reaches grassroots communities and pledged to spread the campaign’s message among local youth.
Nuhu Mohammed, the Niger State Coordinator for the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and Principal Coordinator for the Dorothy Njemanze Foundation, said that the advocacy walk was part of a larger effort to raise awareness about SGBV.
Also speaking at the event which took place at Abdulkadir Kure Market, Mohammed shared that the trauma of SGBV victims often has long-lasting effects, making it difficult for them to recover from their experiences. He urged stakeholders to lend their support in the fight against SGBV.
The Dorothy Njemanze Foundation has long been at the forefront of advocating for the protection of the girl child from various forms of abuse, including rape, female genital mutilation, virginity testing, marital rape, child/forced marriage, and date rape.
Mohammed expressed concern over how perpetrators of SGBV often hide behind cultural and religious traditions to strip the girl child of her rights to sexual autonomy. He stressed the need for a collective effort to end this disturbing trend and protect the rights of vulnerable children and women.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
