DNF champions cause for an end to SGBV
…..as Trader’s Union seeks collaboration to check trend.
From Our Correspondent
The Amalgamated Market Traders Union, Minna, Niger state chapter has made a case for collaborations with relevant stakeholders to check rising cases of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV).
Secretary of the Market Traders Union, Comrade Magaji Usman made the plea at the ‘Street Bomb’ enlightenment campaign on the dangers of some harmful religious and cultural practices that affect the growth and development of the girl child.
All forms of sexual related violence affecting especially the girl child/women are not just acts of wickedness against the victims but evil against humanity and as such all hands must be on deck to check the trend.
Also speaking, the Amalgamated Market Teaders Union, Youth leader, Surajo Umar commended the Dorothy Njemanze Foundation (DNF), sponsors of the ‘Street Bomb’ aimed at enlightening the general public on the need to expose perpetrators of SGBV.
The youth leader who solicited for the support of stakeholders to ensure that the message of SGBV reaches to the grassroots level promised to take the message to fellow youths across communities in the state.
Niger state Coordinator, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), who doubles as the Principal Coordinator for DNF, Nuhu Mohammed had earlier said the advocacy walk is part of strategies to draw attention of citizens on SGBV and the need for collective efforts to stem the trend.
Nuhu Mohammed told the gathering at the Abdulkadir Kure market, venue for the advocacy campaign that apart from the trauma, victims find it difficult to get over the experience and therefore solicited for the support of all stakeholders in the fight against SGBV.
The DNF, supported by Ford foundation has been in the forefront advocating for the protection of the girl child against all forms of abuse, including; rape, female genital mutilation, virginity tests, marital rape, child/forced marriage, date rape amongst others.
As the team lead of the Paralegal Network of the DNF, Nuhu expressed sadness that while the victims suffer, perpetrators continue to hide under tradition and religion to rob the girl child the rights to choice of their sexuality hence the call for collective action to end the trend.
