In its move to slay violence against women and girls (VAWG), Sexual Based Violence (SBV) and other harmful cultural norms, the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development has kick started sensitization in tertiary insitutions in Adamawa State.
The programme assistant of the foundation in Adamawa State, Barrister Amina Mohammed Ali, disclosed that the aim is to incorporate youths into the advocacy against such hideous practices in the state.
Ali who made the call at a one day sensitization workshop on Gender Norms and Social change which took place at the College for Legal Studies Yola, Wednesday.
She said the aim of the workshop is to reduce harmful traditional norms in our communities with a view to enhance human dignity and respect in our communities.
According to her, “traditional and cultural norms greatly influenced the life of our youths and the society in general”.
Also speaking, Barrister Amina Yakubu one of the resource person of the Foundation said the foundation aimed to create awareness and sensitized youths on gender based violence and harmful social norms.
“We are sensitising the students to challenge norms that encourage GBV. We are sensitising the students on how not to be perpetrators of GBV and how not to become survivors of GBV.”
She called on the people to give equal treatment to both gender just as she emphasized the need to report any forms of gender based violence and other harmful cultural norms to the authority.
“No gender should be treated inequitably, every gender should be allowed to do what it can to reach it potentials,” she said.
Yakub noted that the aim of Sultan Foundation project is to work with relevant stakeholders including traditional, religious and youth leaders to end the menace which has become rampant over the years.
“We are implementing the spotlight initiative project on ending all forms of violence against women and girls,” she added.
A beneficiary of the training, Tijjani J. Usman who double as a student of the college, said he was positively impacted by the knowledge he learnt and vowed to step it down to his community.
“I understand that Gender Based Violence takes place in many ramifications and we were told what constitute such violence.
“For peace, unity and prosperity to prevail in our society, we must purge it against every form of violence. Therefore, I will take the good message to my community,” he said.
Also speaking in an interview, Joy Simon pledged to take the new message outside the school walls for the betterment of the society.
“I thank the organizers for this timely intervention which will go a long way in addressing the menace of traditional norms and SGBV,” she said.
In a vote of thenks, Deputy Registrar College for Legal Studies Yola, Dalhatu Alkali commended Sultan foundation for peace and development for reducing incidences of Gender Based Violence (GBV), Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and other harmful cultural norms in Adamawa State.
Alkali urged students to stepdown knowledge acquired to their communities by creating awareness campaign against VAWG, SGBV/HP.
