By Ibrahim Muhammad
Stakeholders in Jigawa State have expressed deep concern over the increasing incidents of gender-based violence (GBV), describing the trend as alarming and a serious threat to the safety, dignity, and wellbeing of women and girls.
They made the call during a Stakeholders’ Engagement Meeting organized by the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), through its Male Feminist Network (MFN) Project, with support from the Ford Foundation through the Centre for Leadership, Strategy, and Development (Centre-LSD), held on Wednesday at True Run Plaza, Dutse.
The participants identified poverty and illiteracy as key factors fueling the rising cases of GBV in society. They, however, attributed about two-thirds of the problem to men, citing negligence of family responsibilities and lack of emotional understanding as major causes of the violence.
According to the stakeholders, there is a pressing need for premarital counseling for men to help them understand their roles and responsibilities as husbands and heads of households. They emphasized that such counseling could help reduce cases of domestic violence, much of which emanates from marital breakdown and divorce.
They also noted that both Islam and Christianity provide clear teachings on the protection and respect for women and children—who are most often the victims of GBV.
“There is a need for our imams and pastors to include discussions on gender-based violence in their sermons and services so that men, who are key actors, can better understand the religious perspectives on the issue,” they said.
The stakeholders further urged the Jigawa State Government to ensure full implementation of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP) in order to eliminate all forms of violence in both private and public life. They stressed the importance of enforcing laws that provide protection, justice, and effective remedies for victims while ensuring punishment for offenders.
Earlier in his welcome address, Muhammad Sani Sa’idu, the MFN Project Officer, said the theme of the engagement “Men as Protectors, Not Perpetrators: Promoting Faith, Culture, and Justice to End Gender-Based Violence” was carefully chosen to drive a new approach in addressing the problem.
He noted that men, who are traditionally seen as protectors of women, have increasingly become perpetrators of GBV, hence the need to involve them more directly in advocacy and sensitization efforts.
Participants at the meeting included traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organizations, media practitioners, security agencies, lawyers, and persons with special needs.
