News Editor
From Dooshima Terkura, Makurdi
A Non Governmental Organization known as International Dialogue Forum for Peace, (IDFP), has engaged over 100 traditional and religious leaders in Benue state to champion the fight against Sexual Gender Based Violence, (SGBV), to stem the tide in the country.
The Co-ordinator, Central Coordinating Council (CCC) IDFP, Imam Faud Adeyemi, made the call during a one day Engagement Forum on Development and Validation of SGBV Accountability Framework for Community Faith-Based Actors in Nigeria, a key initiative under the LEAP Project,, organized with support from United Nation Women, that held in Makurdi, the Benue State Capital.
In his virtual welcome address, Adeyemi said “the issue of SGBV is widespread and is involving both the low and highest ranking members of the society but the secrecy that envelopes the acts does not allow relevant stakeholders to know and address it.
He lamented the culture of silence which has made matters worse saying “Unfortunately because nobody is talking, it has aggravated the problem. The ongoing program will go a long way in sensitizing participants to know how to address the menace.”
According to him, “SGBV is a family and societal problem that if not properly tackled will affect us as a community and a nation. I believe that this program will go a long way to help in building a more peaceful, harmonious and prosperous communities.”
The resource persons, Elder Justina Ngwobia and Hajia Lantana Abdullahi expertly facilitated the sessions, guiding religious leaders, traditional leaders, CSOs, and the media through deep conversations on SGBV prevention and response.
Speaking, the Project Officer, Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace, Hajia Lantana Abdullahi, stated that the one day program was put together to create more awareness by bringing faith – based leaders together to advance advocacy policy and social norms in the country as well as develop an effective mapping tools to source relevant data on GBV prevention for Benue, Nigerians and West Africa.
She explained that GBV come in many forms which can be physical, emotional or physiological and had remained one of the pervasive human right violence in the world today.
Abdullahi who enumerated early and forced marriages among others SGBV cases said “It is a reality that too many women, children and vulnerable groups suffer in silence often without the necessary support system to escape the circle of abuse.
“Therefore, we are here to develop a data base by engaging these SGBV prevention actors, specifically traditional and community leaders as well as civil societies organizations and the media. Currently we are working with UN Women Nigeria to help identify and understand the sexual based violence ecosystem in Nigeria.
“In particular, we recognize that sexual and gender based violence is increasing on alarming rate based on the statistics we received from our report. But we also do acknowledged that these issue is generally under reported and under addressed, but we also believe that the role of traditional rulers who are directly connected to our grassroot communities can help amplify such issues, get them reported and documented.”
She called on all stakeholders to always be ready to volunteer information on cases of SGBV whenever they seen it happen.
Also speaking, the immediate past President of Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN) Benue State chapter, Hajia Maryam Yakubu said the organization has developed a compendium of Faith SGBV actors and have been able to create awareness that will help to understand the ecosystem of SGBV activities in Nigeria.
She maintained FOMWAN is working with relevant stakeholders in their community to ensure that SGBV is tackled headlong.
She however lamented that many times SGBV is committed, prominent individuals want it swept under the carpet, a development that has caused fears among survivors making them not to speak out.
Meanwhile, a lecturer with the Benue State University (BSU), Prof. Peter Agogo appreciated the organization for the engagement noting that it would give the forum an opportunity to validate a framework that is not only practical and implementable, but also one that resonate deeply with the principles of our faith.
Agogo who noted that violence doesn’t know religion said many people especially women, children and young girls are violated in the society and urged all faith and traditional leaders to make a commitment to monitor, report and intervene in mitigating the cases of SGBV in their immediate domain.
