The Habiba Dangana Foundation, popularly known as Hadis Foundation, has organized a one-day training for community vanguards on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in Kaduna State.
The event, brought together participants from across the state to deepen awareness and strengthen community response to gender-based violence.
Speaking at the training, the Programme Officer of Hadis Foundation, Malama Aisha Adamu Modibbo, explained that the initiative aimed to build the capacity of community leaders and groups to recognize, report, and respond effectively to SGBV cases.
“Our target audience includes community leaders, teachers, journalists, commercial transport unions, principals, market women, farmers, and persons with disabilities.
We have 12 clusters of associations represented here,” she said. “We want them to know how to respond to SGBV, where to refer cases, and how to support survivors in their communities.”
In her presentation, legal practitioner Barrister Ayiku Thomas described SGBV as a major human rights violation that affects individuals, particularly women and girls. She outlined the various forms of abus, ranging from sexual, physical, and psychological violence to harmful traditional practices, economic deprivation, and online harassment.
Thomas emphasized the far-reaching consequences of SGBV, including physical injuries, trauma, stigmatization, economic hardship, and in severe cases, loss of life. She also highlighted the need for stronger legal enforcement, community awareness, and survivor-centered interventions.
“The Kaduna State Government’s establishment of Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) and the enactment of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law are key steps toward protecting survivors and ensuring justice,” she noted.
Also speaking, Chairperson of the Coalition Against SGBV, Barrister Bukola Ajao, urged participants to form community support networks that would encourage survivors to speak up and seek help.
She stressed that community vanguards play a vital role in preventing and responding to cases, noting that “it is important to listen to survivors, provide them with support, and ensure cases especially rape are promptly reported to the police.”
Barrister Ajao also advised that while non-violent domestic disputes could be handled through alternative dispute resolution, all forms of sexual or life-threatening violence must be reported and prosecuted according to the law.
The training featured interactive sessions on the causes, effects, and legal frameworks surrounding SGBV, with experts from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), UNICEF, and UNFPA commending the Foundation’s efforts to strengthen grassroots action against gender-based violence in Kaduna State.
COV: Khadija Kubau
