The National Association of Seadogs, NAS, in the Northwest zone of the country at the weekend, took its campaign for the elimination of gender based violence against women and girls, to Makera Community in Kaduna South Local Government Area.
This was as the country joined the global community to commemorate the International Day for the elimination of gender based violence against women and girls.
Speaking on the campaign, President of the Kaduna Chapter of NAS also known as Pyrates Confraternity, Ambassador Dr. Obinna Okpara said the association joined the UN to celebrate the international day.
He said they were able to collaborate with the Kaduna State Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Development,FIDA and other noble associations so as to create awareness and provide solution to the ills of the community.
He said they were against any form of violence against women, including rape of the girl child and the issue of dropping the girl child from school because of her gender.
He said they were also against not giving women their right in the family.
“Now there is a rapid increase in this, and most times there is fear in the females to speak out when they are violated or their rights infringed upon. So we are here to sensitize the women and girl child who have experienced violence or sexual abuse on how to be better,” he said.
Amb. Okpara said such experience could be traumatic, leading to mental issues to a point that some victims would contemplate committing suicide.
Read Also: CJ: why we’re training judges, magistrates on sexual, gender violence
He said it was why they were with health officials and other experts to let them know they could overcome the trauma and live a better life, or where they could go for rehabilitation.
According to him, “We can facilitate where they can be rehabilitated and bring them back to the society to live normal life. So the essence of the programme is to let them know that a woman that was abused can actually live a better life.For those not abused, they should know the places to avoid,the measures to take so as not get abused.”
He said what they were doing was new to the community.
He noted that the two state ministries headed by female commissioners were happy with the development.
The association, he said, would work with the government to ensure justice is being implemented so that the vices would not continue.
Dr.Salima Mohammed from the Kaduna State Ministry of Health said although gender based vilionce affects women more because they are more vulnerable than the men, women too do violence against the men.
She said, “There are different kinds of violence,it could be domestic,it could be physical,it could be sexual,it could be psychological,it could even be economic. Like someone working for you,you feel he doesn’t have the right and you give him smaller wage.”
She explained that the state government now has a sexual offender data base where those caught by law would be exposed to the world.
“You can go to the website and have the history of anyone who have been a criminal on that, the one convicted.If you go on line his name would be there,all over the world.,” she said.
She also revealed that there are four sexual assault referral centres in the state and a mobile one where one could report because Kaduna state government takes the issue seriously, adding that they are working in synergy with security agencies so that people can be protected.
Also speaking, Mrs.Martina Egwuibe, Head of branch of the National Library in Kaduna said they were creating and sensitizing awareness to Kaduna populace on the issue because they discovered that instead of the violence against women and girl child to come down as a result of the campaign over years, it’s rather increasing.
“So we decided its enough of speaking in TV or radio to speak English,enough of sitting in the urban area having programmes.This year we decided to come down to the community.”
She said it’s a global problem which requires the NGOs, government, corporate organisations and individuals to unite against , which led to this year’s theme ‘Unite ! Activism to end violence against women and child’.
An expert, Amb. Lois Otse Adams said through such campaign, they hope to reduce the high level of domestic violence against women and girl child in schools, public places, in homes and in the society so that women can live peacefully with their male counterparts.
The District Head of Makera Community, Alhaji Shehu Tijjani Ciroman Zazzau thanked them for coming to his community and hoped similar organisations would emulate the gesture.
Highlight of the occasion was a roadwalk on some Kaduna streets by members of NAS to sensitize the public on the campaign, and an interactive session with women and girls on the importance of the elimination of gender based violence.
