NGO builds women capacity on peace, preventing SGBV in Kaduna

By Sani Idris

An NGO, International Alert, has built capacity of women towards peace building and prevention of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in Kaduna.

International Alert, with funding from the United Kingdom Conflict, Security and Stability Fund (CSSF), is

implementing the project; “Adalchi Shine Kwanciyar Hankali (Achieving Justice Promotes Stability)”, to address the challenges of peace.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the capacity-building workshop which was on conflict, gender sensitivity and advocacy, is designed for members of the Women Peace Network (WOPEN) who were selected from four Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the project’s intervention.

The Network comprises women in leadership, women from different ethnic and religious groups and also women from the Police, and NSCDC, among others.

Speaking to newsmen on the sideline of the workshop, the Senior Project Officer of International Alert, Mr Sunday Momoh, said Kaduna and Zamfara states have over the years experienced conflicts and violence.

He lamented that the conflict and violence have impacted on peace, stability, access to justice and socio-economic development of the states and other parts of the NorthWest/East.

“This situation has deteriorated over the last decade, and increasingly so since 2019.

“The violence is rooted in competition over natural resources, the continued conflicts have continued to impact on communíties with vulnerable and marginalised groups being most affected.

“Women and girls are exposed to all forms of abuse with no platforms to address abuse, hold perpetrators

accountable, access to justice and other basic services and participation in policies, decision making as it affects them,” Momoh said.

According to him, empowering people in communities with information, skills and building capacities, particularly of women and other marginalised groups, would produce inclusive institutions, cohesive communities and accountable institutions.

Momoh, therefore, said the project was aimed at supporting stabilisation, local justice and SGBV prevention through broadening inclusion, accountability and managing tensions to reduce violence in Zamfara and Kaduna states.

He explained that the workshop was aimed at equipping the participants with skills, and provide knowledge to understand the basic concepts of conflict, gender sensitivity, and SGBV, among others.

He noted that the overall aim of the workshop was to create platforms to raise the voices of women and other marginalised groups and improve local capacities and institutions.

He added that it was also to promote women leadership, mitigate SGBV, promote stability, access to justice and integrate gender mainstreaming in accountability in local communities.

Speaking further, the Communications Officer said the workshop was specifically aimed at ensuring effective referral pathways and networks to address SGBV concerns.

He added that it was also to encourage sustainable networks and platforms for vulnerable groups to demand justice and promote accountability and provide skills and knowledge for women and other vulnerable groups towards

integration in decision-making processes.

“This workshop will significantly address the issues of conflict, gender sensitivity, and SGBV towards sustainable peace. Additionally it will cause a change in attitudes and behaviors towards issues around conflict and gender,” Momoh said.

He called for the integration of women in leadership and consultative roles, stressing that they have skills resources and capacities that could be harnessed to promote development, peace building and access to justice in communities.

A participants, Chairperson of WOPEN, Mrs Laura Bemo, said that their members would ensure sensitisation and advocacy on abuse of children, including the males.

She said male children are also sexually abused, while covering it up because of the thinking and mentality they were meant to believe that ‘men don’t cry out’.

Similarly, a Police Officer, Insp. Constance Didia of the Sabon Tasha Divisional Headquarters, said when ever SGBV is talked about, it was usually tagged to only females.

She said the males were also abused but they die in silence.

“My take home from this workshop is to ensure sensitisation also to the men on SGBV. They have the right to speak up and the law will fight for them,” Didia said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)