From Gyang Bere, Jos
The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria, Plateau State chapter has staged a sensitization campaign against sexual and Gender Based Violence in Gyel community of Jos South Local Government Area of the state.
The sensitization campaign which took place on Tuesday, began with the presentation of an Action Plan on Gender Violence to the Dagwom Rwey of Jos South, Da Ngah Dangyang at his palace to key in the fight against cultural norms that are injurious to women.
The State Chairperson of FIDA, Mrs Obioma Achilefu who led hundreds of women to Gyel community market, COCIN secondary schools to sensitize women and girl child on their rights in the society and right to education like the boy child.
Mrs. Achilefu told the traditional ruler to use his office and ensure that women in the community share in the inheritance of their parents which is currently being left as birth rights for the men folk.
She noted that most women are dieing in silence in their homes due to the previlence of gender violence that inflicts pains and agony on the weaker sex.
According to her, the project which was sponsored by Ford foundation and implemented by FIDA is aimed at sensitizing women and girl child on their rights in the society and to kick against all forms of Gender Based Violence.
“We are happy that the key players have agreed on an Action Plan to ensure that all the socio-cultural activities that have affected the women negatively are nip in the bud.
“We are here to disseminate the action plan and to create awareness to those whose these norms have not help. Norms such as women don’t have right of inheritance, culture of gender mutilation, rape and all forms of Gender Based Violence.
“We have come to tell the community that everybody should rise up, everybody should speak out, people should not keep quiet when there is gender violence, children should be exposed to education to have them understand the right that the laws of the land has given them.”
Former Commissioner of Justice Plateau State, Olivia Dazyam appreciated Ford Foundation for sponsoring the programme and Gyel community for embracing the programme to correct most societal ills.
“We have challenges of sexual and gender based violence in the community and female disinheritance, widowhood and dangerous practices such as rape, domestic violence among others.
“For two years now, we have being interacting and empowering the community to arise and speak out against the dangerous practices. We are happy that at the end, the community came out with Action Plan that they will pursue to ensure that practice of sexual and gender base violence are eliminated from the community.”
The Programme Officer FIDA, Nigeria, Plateau State, Rita A. Lasoju and former Chairperson of FIDA, Plateau State, Mary Izam said the programme was to create awareness on gender rights among women and girl child in the society.
Rita noted that there has been previlence of sexual and gender based violence, female disinheritance, economic violence rape among others and the community came together and developed an Action Plan to tackle the menace in the area.
The Secretary of Dagwom Rwey of Jos South, Jonathan Dangyang said the traditional institution has accepted the project and would do everything within the ambit of the law to minimize and eliminated gender based violence in the community and ensure equal rights between the boy child and the girl child.