Communities of Yola South local government have disclosed drastic reduction of Gender Based Violence, (GBV), Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and other harmful practices due to the awareness and sensitization by the Sultan foundation for peace and development over the years.
The communities made the disclosure during a town hall meeting to mobilize men on advocacy and messaging in the promotion of gender equitable norms and prevention of VAWG, SGBV/HP in Yola South local government of Adamawa State on Monday.
Thanking the organization for a job well done in sensitizing the people over the years, Muawiyah Abba, Chief orientation and mobilization officer, Yola South and focal officer Gender Based Violence in Yola South local government said the role played by Sultan foundation in curbing the menace of GBV and related harmful practices over the years can be be overemphasized.
“Sultan foundation has been engaging several categories of people right from the community leaders, traditional leaders and religious leaders. We are having reports that communities are being sensitized while the cases of GBV have reduced drastically as a result of these campaigns being supported by Sultan foundation.
“We appreciate the foundation for funding the activities and ensuring at all levels people are being sensitized. The intervention has succeeded and people are now fully mobilized and sensitized to protect themselves from such violence,” he said.
Also thanking the foundation for the positive intervention in curtailing VAWG and GBV, Ibrahim Ahmad, one of the surveillance team members formed by spotlight initiative in Wuro Hausa community noted that the foundation has done well in creating awareness around these harmful practices.
He noted that as a result of the intervention, the area has witnessed sharp reduction of GBV and associated scourges.
“Sultan foundation has performed exceptionally well in the areas of enhancing surveillance, and educating parents to know the rights of their children especial in emergencies.
“The effort has paid premiums as parents have taken the front seat in the campaign for surveillance. They are also in the lead to ensure such cases reported and not swept under the carpet as it was the practice hitherto.
“We have witnessed sustained positive changes from members of the community through enhanced vigilance and reports of such cases which were a huge departure from what obtains before,” he said.
