By Musa Ubandawaki (Sokoto State Correspondent)
As part of an effort to end Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) and Harmful practices ( HP), the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji (Dr) Muhammad Saad Abubakar III Foundation, has trained 160 Women and Girls Rights Defenders at a One-day training program held in Sokoto.
The objectives of the one-day training are to identify and discuss the higher prevalence of violence against Women and Girls and strategies to promote gender-equitable norms, prevention, and response to EVAWG/SGBV/SRHR/HP in society.
Participants at the workshop will also share experiences of handling, supporting and advocacies for victims of SGBV/HP.
The trained Women and Girls rights defenders are expected to better engage the community and religious leaders towards ending VAWG and HP at the community level.
Speaking during the One day program, the chairman of the occasion, Professor Isah Muhammad Maishanu, highlighted the importance of defending the Rights of Women and Girls in the society
He said there is a need for people with relevant skills, Religious and community leaders to engage one another in the crusade to end violence and other harmful practice against women and Girls in Sokoto state.
In a paper presented at the Workshop by Dr. Ibrahim Muhammad Liman Sifawa, he recommended the provision of concrete legislation, increased availability and utilization of Data, child spacing, and improved utilization of quality essential services as measures to end GBV in the state.
The paper refers to violence as any act that is perpetrated against a person's will based on his gender affiliation which inflicts harm on women, girls, men, and boys and is the most severe violation of several human rights.
Dr. Salisu Ismail in his paper presented at the Workshop duel on Medical and psychosocial effects of Gender-based violence and other harmful practice where he mentioned early marriage as a serious factor depriving young Girls access to education.
Dr. Ismail, in the paper, spoke on the dangers of female genital mutilation which he said most of the time resulted in obstruction in labor and visico viginlal fistula.
"family planning and family life education are very essential in the gender-based reproductive method., in which women and Girls can decide when to start having children"
Dr. Fatima Binta Musa a Data facilitator to the foundation stated that Broken homes, child labor, ignorance, sexual Hawking, street begging, child trafficking, frustration, and drug abuse as factors militating against GBV and other harmful practices.
Also in her paper presentation, Barrister Safiya Muhammad of Usman Danfodiyo University Faculty of law blamed access to justice by victims of GBV/SGBV/HP as a contributing factor to the scourge which is becoming pandemic.
She said victims of GBV/SGBV in the rural areas could not have justice as courts are mainly centralized in the Urban centers, saying that times transport fare becomes a problem to the parents and victims alike.
A guidance and counseling Doctor with Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Halimatu Sadiyya Abubakar, blamed parents for not enlightening their wards on the dangers of rape and sexual vices.
She said parents need to inform their children about having sex before marriage as well as coming in close contact with men at an early age. NNL.
