Olanrewaju Lawal,Birnin Kebbi
A Non Governmental Organization (NGO), Zaki’s Gem Support Foundation (ZGSF) has disclosed that it has trained 106 gender based violence Ambassadors as parts of its efforts to end violence against women, vulnerable in Kebbi state.
The Founder of the NGO,Hajiya Nafisa Zaki, stated this on Tuesday during the 2nd International Conference on Gender Based Violence (GBV) in commemoration of the 2020 16 days activism on GBV held in Birnin Kebbi.
The conference was held in collaboration with the Movement Against Rape and Sexual Violence(MARS-V) and Kebbi State Technical Working Group on GBV on the theme,” orange the world:fund,respond,prevent,collect”.
Zaki explained that that much still remained to be done in protecting victims of gender violence and prosecuting offenders in spite of the legislation and ongoing efforts to protect women and vulnerable populations against violence.
Zaki added that nationally representative data on prevalence of different forms of violence could help monitor progress towards the elimination of violence against persons in the country.
According to her, “to help in eliminating the GBV, we have so far trained 106 gender based violence ambassadors, created and trained cooperation associations and participated in the advocacy to stakeholders on domestication of child rights act in the Kebbi state.
” We have rendered psychological support, referral and linkages for rape victims and conducted massive sensitisation campaigns on effects of GBV in Sokoto and Kebbi states.
“We have supported vulnerable pregnant women with free delivery kits at Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, Birnin Kebbi and mobilised and coordinated 43 civil society organisations in Kebbi state to support the fight against covid-19 pandemic in the state, among other activities,” she said.
Zaki, who described rapes in the society as beyond the mind of an ordinary person, said that it was becoming the order of the day.
She said: “while the services for victims and survivors are not enough, the system is also not friendly towards them. Unfortunately, whenever an arrest was made of perpetrators, the victim’s family is expected to pay for his feeding via the security agency.
“This is the present practice in Kebbi and other states which is not fair,” she lamented.
The founder commended the Wife of Kebbi Gov, Dr Zainab Shinkafi – Bagudu for achieving various records towards ending GBV in the state, especially inauguration of first technical working committee group on GBV in the state.
Wife of Kebbi state Governor, Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, who was represented by the Special Adviser to Governor on Women Empowerment, Hajiya Maimuna Jega, who commended the NGO for its efforts, said,” the government is working hard to ensure women are empowered and educated, as part of effort to reducing GBV in the state.”
She advocated for more empowerment of women stressed that it would equipped women to stand firm against any abused, violence, and psychological problems associated with such gender violence.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary state Ministry for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Aisha Maikurata, who was represented by a Director at the Ministry,Hajiya Maimuna Abdullahi, revealed that the implications of covid-19 had further exposed women and children to more threatening vulnerability.
“It has given rise to other forms of GBV; and as such, it becomes expedient for us to stand for the good course and utilise all our available mechanism to protect the rights of all women in the state,” she said.
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