NCWS lauds El-Rufa’i efforts to punish perpetrators of Gender-Based violence
From: Femi Mustapha
The National Council of Women’s Societies, (NCWS)
The Kaduna State state Chapter has lauded Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai for ensuring perpetrators of Gender-Based violence in the state (GBV) are given the punishment that would serve as detrimental to others.
The state branch President of NCWS, Barrister Zainab Hassan, asserted this during an event to commemorate the 16 Days of Activism with a theme: “UNiTE! Activism to end violence against women and girls”, put together by the National Council of Women’s Societies, (NCWS) Kaduna branch on Thursday.
According to her women in the state have joined the global Community in the campaign to end violence against women by 2030 as proposed by the United Nations.
She averred that violence against women and girls comes in many shapes and forms, and most recently it has evolved to include online harassment, threats and exploitation.
“Women should be empowered and protected to express their views on the political, economic and social developments of their State and National at large.
“We encourage all authorities to promote an environment that respects freedom of expression and combats hate speech and violence against women and girls in Kaduna State,” the NCWS President urged.
Speaking earlier State Commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, Hajiya Hafsat Mohammed-Baba, has said the State Government has a very robust system put in place to tackle the issues of Gender-Based violence in the state.
The commissioner explained that laws and policies were already in place, a shelter to accommodate women that have been violated, and also the Sexual Referral Centres that offer services free of charge to victims of violence in the state.
Similarly, President of NCWS in Kaduna North Local Government Area, Hajiya Amina Lawal, said GBV numbers are staggering as a recent World Bank survey revealed that 35 per cent of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence.
Lawal, who was represented by a member, Hajiya Hajara Abdulkadir, said this issue is not only devastating for survivors of violence and their families, but also entails significant social and economic costs.
According to her, failure to address this issue also entails a significant cost for the future; adding that numerous studies have shown that children growing up with violence are more likely to become survivors themselves or perpetrators of violence in the future.
