Kano state government has reiterated its commitment, to upholding women and children’s rights and protecting them against all forms of violence.
Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr. Zahra’u Muhammad Umar, made the indication during a sensitization workshop, for stakeholders on issues of discriminatory laws, policies and programs affecting women and children, organized by the Ministry in collaboration with National Centre for Women Development (NCWD), Abuja.
According to the commissioner, Kano state was committed to, mapping out policies and programs aimed at uplifting the standards of living among women and children.
She said preparations have reached advanced stage on the passage of the Kano state child protection bill, which would go a long way in curtailing all forms of oppression and molestation against children.
Dr. Zahra’u expressed concerned on the rising cases of gender based violence, saying that the workshop would proffer lasting solutions to problems bedeviling women and young children, in the state and country in general.
” The state government had introduced entrepreneurial training for drug dependent youths and women to make them self reliant and eradicate unemployment”
In her remarks, Assistant Director Research and Statistics, National Centre for Women Development, Jummai Modu said, the essence of the workshop is to sensitize stakeholders such as religious and traditional rulers, youth leaders, community leaders, CBOs and NGOs to achieve the desired objectives.
She maintained that, as gate keepers participants would brainstorm and work on discriminatory laws against women and children, as well as traditional norms and practices that hinder their development.
“We have policies that are there and need to be implemented”
Also speaking, District Head of Rogo who doubles as Wamban Karaye, Alhaji Maharazu Karaye, described traditional rulers as champions, and paramount institutions to the implementation of the recommendations of the workshop.
He said, most of the issues raised affect rural communities, as such the interactive sessions paved way for exchange of ideas and knowledge on constraints on discriminatory laws in Nigeria and Kano in particular.
Alhaji Maharazu pointed out that, members of the traditional institutions are the closest to the grassroots, and are in the best position to translate whatever decisions and resolutions reached at the workshop.
“After this workshop lawyers will bring out all the constraints in the discriminatory laws, academicians would expatiate based findings and research “
The event,witnessed large turn out of traditional and religious leaders, lawyers, academics, lawyers human rights activists, women groups, CBOs, NGOs, staff of Kano ministry of women affairs among others.
Khadijah Aliyu