By: Valentine Adese (JP),
The Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang (Esq) has promised to look more into the Gender Based Violence (GBV) Model Laws in the State in a bid to protect Women, Girls and other types of discrimination and marginalization in both private and public places.
This, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), the Women’s Rights Advancement And Protection Alternative (WRAPA) was told today, 22nd of August 2023, during its engagement tagged: Policy Moment to Conduct multi-stakeholder Intergenerational dialogue; that includes youths, Women & Girls, marginalized groups, leaders of faith and culture, CSOs & Service Providers engaging the VAPP and the GEO laws to consolidate on improved access to prevention, protection and justice to address issues of Gender Based Violence in the State at Lamonde Hotel, Jos.
The Chairman of the Gender Equal Opportunity Commission, Mrs. Olivia Dazyem (Esq), who spoke on behalf of the Plateau State Governor/Government to clear the position of the State Government on the issue(s) also added that, the Governor/State are also planning to generate data of the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the state in order to engage them in bring more awareness of the Model Laws (Geo Bill & the VAPP Act 2015).
Mrs. Olivia (Esq) said, “This is to entrench and saturate the Model Laws for enhanced women’s and girls’ legal and social justice, women’s groups and youths, who are integral parts of society on the need to be fully aware of the existing Laws”.
Earlier, while welcoming the participants to the dialogue, the State Project Officer (SPO of WRAPA, Mrs. Jummai Madaki, had told the participants that, the objectives of the dialogue is to:-
- Continue the advocacy for the passage and implementation of the Laws in order to create awareness.
- To rejig existing referral pathway to create linkages between survivors and service providers and safe drilling downwards to the hard-to-reach communities of women and girls.
- To learn through experience sharing amongst youths, leaders of culture and faith, CSOs, survivors and women groups (Plenary Session), to generate stories and to
- Improve visibility through youth engagement.
On her part, the Secretary General (SG) of WRAPA, Saudatu Mahdi, represented by Habiba Ahmed, while welcoming the Participants also said the project is aimed at:
“Galvanizing sustainable innovative strategies, roles and commitments from youths, women groups, community influencers and other participants to continue the advocacy for the passage and implementation of the Laws to create awareness and to increase community ownership that galvanizes social pressure on government towards the effective implementation of the model Laws”.
One of the facilitators, Plangna Deborah, told the participants that, at the end of the program it is expected that, there would be improved inclusive coordination and collaboration by relevant duty bearers to popularize the VAPP and GEO Bill before the Plateau State House of Assembly.
Adding that, “It would be expected that, the synergy and joint collaboration from state and non-state actors will be strengthened through joint accountability, setup to track and monitor groups’ commitments and more improved agency are expected, as women and girls would be engaged with the model laws to combat issues of GBV, as a result of the enhanced reportage and accessibility to GBV services”.
The highlight of the program was the Plenary Session, which had the representative of the Plateau State Government, cultural, and faith leaders, youths, CSOs and the Media as participants.
The session looked and discussed issues of youth inclusion in governance and the demands/accountability from duty bearers on the implementation of the model laws.
It is of note that, WRAPA is a registered non-governmental organization (NGO), non-political and non-profit-making charitable organization with a mandate for the promotion, protection, and realization of women’s human rights; the elimination of all forms of repugnant practices; and VAWG, with the aim of enhancing their living standards.
The organization seeks to advance and protect the rights of women as provided by national laws, policies, regional, international treaties and agreements.
WRAPA is supported by the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) to implement a two-year project titled “Legal and Social Empowerment Program on Women’s Rights in Kaduna and Plateau States”.
This project seeks to achieve the effective implementation of the VAPP Law and passage of the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill, which seeks to eliminate gender-based violence against women and girls and promote equal opportunities for beneficiaries of the project intervention, (women and girls).
SEE SOME OTHER PICTURES FROM THE PROGRAM BELOW;-
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