Voluntary Aid Initiative, a non-governmental organisation with headquarters in Zamfara State, has urged the underrepresented community to speak out against sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
At a quarterly review meeting with CSOs, the local community, and security agents in the State, the NGO’s executive director, Musa Umar, made the call in Gusau, the capital of the State.
The VAI, UKAid, and International Alert worked together to plan the gathering.
Participants at the conference included members of the community, women’s organisations, journalists, security agency officials, CSOs, and traditional and religious leaders.
Umar went on to say that the project aims to foster state-wide stability, victim responsibility, and access to justice.
He said that the project’s goal was to lessen the amount of community-level violence by including all community organisations in alternative conflict resolution.
He asked the communities’ marginalised groups to constantly work with the police and report cases of sexual and gender-based violence, or SGBV.
Speaking in her own capacity, Hajiya Amina Baba, the State Chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA, underlined the need for increased public awareness of the battle against GBV in light of its detrimental effects on society.
“It was found that the majority of individuals are hesitant to speak out about SGBV concerns; we need to speak out to secure the victims’ access to justice.
She said that as FIDA-accredited solicitors, “we provide free services to the GBV victims in ensuring access to justice.”
The organisation was praised for convening the conference by the state commissioner for women, children, and social development, Dr. Nafisa Maradun.
The commissioner emphasised that the ministry will continue to pay importance to SGBV prevention through the Director of Administration in the department, Hajiya Aina’u Sani.
The Commissioner said, “We will do everything we can to continue working in partnership with governmental and non-governmental organisations to combat SGBV and provide access to justice.
