Abbas Yushau Yusuf
Connect development (CODE) with support from Canadian High Commission, has convened a two day capacity building workshop for 30 women in Kano State, as gender advocates galvanising mass action against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) with the aim to create awareness on the provisons of Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act.
The aim of the worskshop is to train 30 women and girls on advocacy skills and use of technological tools to make people abreast with the VAPP Act in Kano state.
The Executive Director of CODE, Mr Hamzat Lawal express his concern over the alarming rate of GBV on women and girls reported in Kano State.
“There is a shadow pandemic of GBV in Kano State which have attracted international concerns and yet, the act that will safeguard the well-being of our mothers and sister haven’t been domesticated” he said.
“We know and recognize religion and culture belief plays a critical role and that is why we will be working with religious and traditional leaders to influece their messages to inform the people to put an end to GBV” he said.
Gender Based Violence has Subjected Women To Poverty-NHRC
One of the conveners Sani Muhammad, who is the executive Director of Bridge connect said one of the challenges of Gender-Based Violence in Nigeria is inability of victims to speak.
“stigmatization of victims make the victims to allow perpetrators to continue with the evil act. Many of the Nigerian women and girls who are victims of SGV don’t seek help due to fear of stigmatization”, He said.
In her remark, the head of Women Right Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), Barrister Fatima Ahmad said the reason we are advocating for VAPP Act to be passed is the way and manner GBV is increasing and that is very alarming which makes the need to fight it necessary .
On her part, another legal practitioner and trainee Asmau muhammad said, “since their is an attempt to pass the geneder based violence prohibition act after the conference the they will push for it”.
She said gender based violence is worrisome and to putting an end to it is necessary hence the need to come together.
