Group Moves To End Gender-Based Violence

Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria has advised Sokoto women to come together in order to end violence against women and girls in different communities in the state.

Hajia Fatima Bello-Gumi, the Chairperson of the Non-Governmental Organisation, gave the advice during a sensitisation campaign at Kofar Marke and Bazza communities in the Sokoto North Local Government Area.

She disclosed that the group, with support from EU-UN Spotlight Initiative Project, had embarked on a door-to-door sensitisation campaign to enlighten rural women in particular on gender-based violence and other harmful practices.

According to her, the aim of the sensitisation is to increase participants’ knowledge on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and Sexual and GBV, gender equitable norms and other harmful practices.

She said that participants were also being educated on policies and existing laws to tackle the menace of GBV.

She described the incidents of rape and other assaults on women and girls as worrisome.

Bello-Gumi identified sexual harassment, verbal, emotional abuse and other harmful practices as factors that are negatively affecting women in society.

She said ictims and perpetrators have little or no knowledge that it is a crime punishable under the law.

She, therefore, counselled family members to live up to their expectations and to report rape and other GBV cases to security agencies and community leaders in order to expose the perpetrators.

Bello-Gumi described poor understanding, culture of silence and compromise as challenges in tackling the menace.