As part of activities to commemorate sixteen days activism against gender based violence, Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), organized a sensitization lecture on gender based violence for Yusuf Maitama University students, Kano.
Presenting a paper on gender based violence, Director Center for Gender Studies, Bayero University Kano, Dr. Suwaiba Saidu Ahmed identified poverty, hunger, harmful cultural practices, female genital mutilation, war and conflict as some of the major catalysts to gender based violence.
According to her, gender based violence refers to violence directed to a person based on gender, saying that the menace is becoming rampant in the society.
The director stressed that legislations, education, information dissemination, identifying root cases of societal problems, supporting for victims, women empowerment and zero tolerance to GBV, as some of the ways of mitigating the problem.
She charged government, and relevant stakeholders to treat gender based violence as a public health issue, by establishing centers to treat and counsel victims.
“We should engage in activities that would stop GBV to ensure a safer society”
Also speaking, Executive Director, Mafaka Youth development initiative, Barrister Nura Ahmed Muhammad explained that, all gender based violence issues are criminal cases.
He highlighted that, assault and battery are major offenses in GBV as section 19 of the Nigerian constitution, had set aside stiffer sanctions, for anyone found guilty of battering his or her spouse.
Barrister Nura, charged students to join the fight against GBV by advocating for the speedy passage of the Kano State Child Protection Bill, arguing that if passed ,the law would go a long way in protecting children against all forms of oppression.
“Child right act is another important law at the national level”.
On types of GBV, a gender based violence champion and student Faculty of Education Yusuf Maitama Sule University Kano, Comrade Habiba Usman Hassan said sexual ,physical, socio-economic, and online gender based violence are the most popular and trending violence prevalent in the society.
In her closing remarks, CITAD’s gender officer, Hajiya Zainab Aminu maintained that, individuals should serve as ambassadors and champions by contributing their quota to the fight against gender based violence.
While commending the large turn out of students, she charged participants to use the knowledge gained judiciously by sensitizing others to curb the menace in the state and nation in general.
KHADIJAH ALIYU