Save The Child Initiative (STCI), a not-for-profit organisation, has embarked on public sensitisation about Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and women empowerment in Sokoto communities.
The STCI Programme Officer, Rabi’u Bello-Gandi, said this during a sensitisation lecture organised in Sokoto on Friday, in commemoration of this year’s 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 16 Days of Activism is an annual international campaign that runs from November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women until December 10, Human Rights Day.
The global initiative is aimed at eliminating GBV by raising awareness about the devastating impact of violence on women and children, and the social fabric of the society.
He said the programme was organised in collaboration with the Plan International EU-INTPA Project, aimed at raising awareness about the devastating impact of violence on women and children.
He described the commitment of stakeholders as the symbol of unity against GBV and called for unity to reduce the rate of GBV in the state and the nation at large.
Bello-Gandi said such synergy would help to reduce women’s dependence on husbands and parents, as well as end violence against them.
In his presentation, the EU-INTPA Project Co-ordinator, Joseph Julius, urged parents and guardians to give equal opportunities to girls and boys in educational pursuit and other economic and social empowerment.
Julius said: “VAWG is like cancer; eating up communities gradually, but when it has been cut off completely, we will have societies free of GBV”.
He explained that the EU-INTPA Project had strengthened civil society organisation’s capacity to enhance education for all in Northern Nigeria.
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He added that the collaboration joined the global call on 16 Days Activism to showcase the dangers of VAWG and increase stakeholders and public attention toward ending the menace.
Julius listed various forms of sexual, economic, emotional and physical violence which occurred in society and educated people on the need to stop the habits.
He said that the passage of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) law and the Child Protection Law and ongoing sensitisation for implementing the laws would help reduce the rate of GBV in the state.
