By Muhammad Ibrahim,Sokoto
The aim was to provide students of the School of Nursing the opportunity to share thoughts on measures to reduce violence against women and girls as well as to draw insights from their various communities.
Speaking during the sensitization, the foundation’s Programme Officer, Alhaji Musa Galadanci, said at the one-day sensitisation organised by
the foundation in Sokoto that students must always summon courage to always speak out.
Galadanci said that the sensitisation, supported by the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative Project, would go a long way
in encouraging students to speak out against GBV.
He stressed the need for students to understand what Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV), Female Genital Mutilation
(FGM) are, and what the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAAP) Law stipulates.
He described the culture of silence and compromise as great challenges to tackling the GBV menace in communities.
According to him, when anyone decides to be silent when being abused or not report a perpetrator, such a person promotes the menace indirectly.
The Lead Resource Person, Mrs Rashida Muhammad, a legal practitioner, presented lecture on categories of GBV, prevalence,
consequences, policies and laws, as well as referral pathways.
Muhammad concentrated on challenges of discriminatory behaviours against the female gender in social norms and actions detrimental to
women and girls, especially in educational pursuits.
The facilitator shared experiences, thoughts on measures to reduce violence against women and girls, drawing insight from different communities.
Malam Bashir Bala, who represented the school principal commended the foundation for efforts toward enlightening Nigerians about
GBV and urged students to speak out and support toward reducing the menace in all forms.
