By: Valentine Adese (JP),
Women, Girls, Faith and Cultural Leaders in Mazah Community in Jos North Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State, have resolved to join their voice as a Community to the global campaign against Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
The have also resolved to be the Change Agents in the Community.
They made this resolve at Mazah during the Annual International 16 Days of Activism which was held in the premises of Mr. & Mrs. John B. Musa Ashur in Mazah Community, supported by Ford Foundation.
You would recall that this event is an annual international campaign that kicks off on November 25th, which also doubles as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until December 10th, Human Rights Day.
It is of note also that, the Activists started it at the inaugural Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991 and continues to be coordinated each year by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership. Individuals and organizations around the world calling for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls use it as an organizing strategy.
Earlier, before close to 60 participants at the program made the resolutions, the Director of WRAPA in the State, Madam Jummai Madaki, had in her address told the participants that the objectives of the awareness program were:-
- To create awareness and sensitization by joining the voices of communities to the global campaign on GBV elimination, especially, Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), most prevalent in communities.
- To reinforce the existing instituted VAWG safeguard mechanisms (WoR & Male Champions).
- To deepen the commitment to the elimination of IPV in communities
- To Increase organic Community-led safe spaces for EVAWG in communities.
- To strengthen GBV referral within community grassroots structures.
Adding that, “The Plateau Stat Police Command has agreed to have Gender Desks in all Police Stations and Commands in the state”.
Madam Ruth Abow, who moderated the program at Mazah did also explained that, “The 2023, UNiTE campaign theme is Invest to Prevent Violence Against Women & Girls, focusing on the importance of financing different prevention strategies to stop violence from occurring in the first place”.
Adding that, “The overarching goal is a call for global action to increase awareness, galvanize advocacy efforts, and share knowledge and innovations to end VAWG once and for all”.
Madam Ruth also went further to warn the members of the Community to do a better check before giving out their children to anyone.
She said, “Be careful how you give out your children for any reason(s) I call on you to do a checkup owing to the on-going child trafficking going on”.
From records, Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), as a leading voice in the advocacy and campaign against violence against women (VAW) has consistently planned and implements activities during the 16 days of activism.
More also, for over the last 15 years, WRAPA has implemented activities like rallies, sensitization and awareness-raising sessions, intense legislative advocacy, and various radio and TV talk shows.
In many cases, the activities are linked to other WRAPA projects that span a longer duration.
At the program in Mazah today, the Community praised WRAPA for the awareness creation, while promising to join hands to fight against any form of Gender Bases Violence (GBV) as they up hold the VAPP Law.
Present at the Program at Mazah, among others was a Director from the Plateau State Ministry of Women Affairs, Mr. Sunday, Pastor Amb. Mariam, CEO of Peace Ambassadors, the representative of the Youth Leader, Mr. John B Musa Ashur, the representative of the District Head of Mazah, and Faith and Culture Leaders, who all gave their goodwill messages, thanking WRAPA for its impact in Plateau State.
For the representative of the Youth Leader, Mr. John, he said all the ills and violation of women and girls is a direct replica of what is happening in Mazah Community and that the awareness WRAPA is bringing would help especially from the Legal angle.
According to him, “Women have become Men and Men Women in our community since it is the Women that now provide for the family in most family in Mazah, while the Men engage in alcoholism”.
For the representative of the District Head of Mazah, the need to start applying the VAPP and other Laws to eradicate this violence in the Community would now be a priority and they would get back to WRAPA after a Council meeting on the matter.
The representative of Plateau State Ministry of Women Affairs, Mr. Sunday, told the gathering that the Ministry is with WRAPA and will continue. Adding that no day passes without a case of Gender-Based Violence reported to the Ministry and that with the help of WRAPA and the model Laws, the challenges are been surmounted.
SEE SOME OTHER PICTURES FROM THE EVENT AT MAZAH COMMUNITY BELOW:-
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