Women groups embarking on a walk during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence in Bauchi.
ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi –
The Commissioner of Women Affairs and Child Development, Bauchi State, Hajiya Hajara Gidado has lamented the high level of abuse against women, saying that one in every three of them is abused in their life time.
Hagiya Gidado said the number has been on the increase as seen during the COVID-19 Pandemic and other crises as conflicts and disasters emanated.
The commissioner stated this when she received women groups who embarked on a walk during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence.
Gidado, who was represented by the Director of Administration in the Ministry, Fatimah Jibrin, said that a new report from the UN violence based on gender from 13 countries since the COVID-19 pandemic showed that two in three women reported that they experienced some form of violence and out of that, only one percent of them reported to the police or any other authority for assistance.
According to her, the mandate of the programme is to ensure that women, youths and the girl child are been protected from all forms of violence.
She disclosed that Plan International is one of the agencies collaborating with her ministry adding that it is worthy to know that Plan International and relevant NGO’s, security bodies and others are there to see that perpetrators are made to account for the act and justice should not only be served on the perpetrators but should be seen to have been done.
She appealed to all the NGOs to form partnership that will ensure that victims of GBV were not only heard but supported to get justice, while stigmatization should be fought. This according to her, is one of the reasons victims are not coming out to speak out.
The Chairperson, National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Bauchi State Chapter Mrs. Bulak Afsaam, said they embarked on the walk to create awareness on the need for people to rise up against all forms of Gender Based Violence in order to return sanity to the existence of the family.
She said the event was in partnership with PLAN International organization and 10 different women groups in the state.
“Gender Based Violence is not only against the woman, even men are not left out. What we are doing today is to ensure that people stand up to fight against Gender Based Violence in the community,” she said.
Afsa stated that Plan International is supporting the women groups in the fight against Gender Based Violence in the community which she said has retarded social activities within the community.
Other groups spoke on the need to give cover to the girl child against any form of violence during the walk included FOMWAN, NCWS, He4She, Stand up for Women Societies (SWS) who all spoke on the need for creating of awareness against all forms of Gender Based Violence in the society.
In her remarks, Representative of Plan International in Bauchi, Zainab Sabitu said that the NGO decided to participate in the program as a way of supporting the fight against all forms of Gender Based Violence.
She added that Plan International will continue to support the fight against gender based violence particularly against the Girl-child who have faced different forms of violence and are suffering silently.
