Gender-Based Violence (GBV) has been a plague in our communities for ages. HVCF joined the rest of the world in commemorating the 16 Days of Activism themed “Orange the world” by bringing together the gender focal persons of security agencies, religious leaders, traditional leaders as well as women leaders in the semi-urban and rural areas of Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State to create awareness and discuss possible means of reducing cases of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in the Local Government.
Ms. Grace Sim Auta, in her introduction, gave participants a brief history of why women all over the world saw it necessary to commemorate these days. The representatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) Women leaders and the secretary of the Maraban Rido traditional leader gave goodwill messages.
Agoh Priscilla, Esq., from the legal organization, House of Justice, spoke on gender-based discrimination and stressed the importance of education in the fight against VAWG. She noted that “the fight against gender-based discrimination is not a cry for gender wars, but a movement to show that everyone, male or female, boy or girl, should have equal opportunities to achieve their full potential”. She gave practical examples illustrating pertinent points in her presentation.
The Awakers Drama Group presented a short drama that brought to life the different forms of VAWG that are generally experienced as well as the terrible role the culture of silence plays in encouraging the spread of such violence, especially rape in communities. This drama stirred up a lot of discussion by all present. In the course of the discussions, verbal abuse, domestic violence, rape, child abuse and child labour were identified as the most common cases of VAWG in Chikun Local Government.
The event ended by traditional leaders and other stakeholders exchanging contacts with a promise to work together towards the elimination of VAWG in the Local Government.
