Politics
THE Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar lll, has called for collaborative efforts in fighting gender-based violence in the society.
The monarch made the call in Birnin kebbi on Wednesday at the International Conference on Gender Based Violence organised by Zaki’s and Gem General Services Limited, an NGO.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference is with the theme “Role of Government, CSOs and Individuals in Eradicating Gender Based Violence in Nigeria”.
Sultan, who was represented by Wazirin Gwandu, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar, expressed concern over rising cases of gender based violence in the society.
“Based on the reports and statistics, the rates at which gender violence and anti-social activities are increasing is very unfortunate and worrisome.
“These challenges must be checked and addressed in order to have gender violence free society.
“This is the time when all the stakeholders must wake up and work together to address the challenges,“he said.
In his remark, the Etsu Nupe and Chairman of Niger Traditional Council, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, said political leaders must join hands with traditional rulers to fight gender based violence in the society.
Abubakar represented by district head of Edokuta and Baraya of Nupe, Alhaji Kpoto Shaba, noted that traditional rulers as fathers and custodian of their people, have vital role to play in eradicating violence against women in the society.
Mr Yusuf Yahaya of the African Sustainable Development Academy, attributed the increase in gender based violence in the society to ignorance, illiteracy, drug abuse and arrogance among others.
Yahaya urged government at all levels to provide institutions and laws to check the incidences in the society.
He said traditional rulers as custodians of knowledge should also constitute committees at their levels to address the issues.
He said “parents should also ensure proper discipline and guide to their children to reduce involvement of youths in child abuse, violence against women in the society.”
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of the NGO, Hajiya Nafisat Abubakar-Zaki, said that the conference was organised as a result of the high rate of gender based violence in the society.
“Apart from gender based eradication programmes, we are also offering skills acquisition schemes to support vulnerable groups in the society.
“We have so far graduated 16,200 vulnerable individuals comprising males and females from across the country under our skills acquisition programmes”, she said. (NAN)
– Oct. 30, 2019 @ 17:15 GMT |
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