*As Bar Rashidat Muhammed seeks an end to GBV, HP, VAWG
Principal of Nana Girls College, Sokoto, Aisha Abdulkadir, has urged female students to focus on their studies and avoid distraction of any sort.
Abdulkadir, who gave the advice during a one-day workshop by the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development on Gender and Social Norms for selected schools in Sokoto, stated that female education remains the most important aspect in the country due to sensitive nature of female students.
The Principal, who was represented by her Vice Principal , Muhammed Adam, said that the school was grateful for the advocacy from the Sultan’s Foundation on Gender Based Violence (GBV) Harmful Practice (HP), Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) as well as Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV), saying that the development was a very rare privilege for their students.
She said, “We see this advocacy workshop as a rare privilege for our students, hence if you are educated about something, you have been given the knowledge of how to identify and protect yourselves from such. And my advice to all of you, our young girls, is that you should marry your books for now and not allow anybody tp deceive you”.
The one day workshop is a spotlight Initiative sponsored by United Nations Women and implemented by Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development for selected colleges and tertiary schools in Sokoto.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Programme Officer of Sultan Foundation for Peace, Malam Muhammed Galandanci, stated that the idea of destroying adolescent girls can be described as destroying the entire society.
Galadanci, who stressed that cases of rape and other Gender Based Violence are no doubt on the increase in the society, with Sokoto not an exception, added that a law have been signed in Sokoto to protect women, girls and children against all forms of violence.
He also assured that the position of the Sokoto Child Protection Law provides for life imprisonment for perpetrators of rape and adequate punitive measures for those engaging in GBV.
On her part, the Resource Person for the workshop, Bar Rashidat Muhammed, said the time to stop all forms of GBV, HP and VAWG is now.
Rashidat, being the first female lawyer to own a law chambers in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states, had earlier suggested for a separate court for the trial of GBV, SGBV perpetrators.
Calling for all inclusive collaboration to stop such crimes against humanity, Rashidat further appealed to parents, especially, mothers and the society to change their perception about placing priority on the boy-child as being more superior in the home.
Rashidat said, “Men are no doubt heads of the family. However, equal opportunity for education and care should be given to all irrespective of gender.
“As a nation, Nigeria has a severally poor record of access to basic education and this is especially found in the Northern parts of the country”.
Rashidat also stated that the issue of child marriage is a very troubling example of GBV in the North, saying that Female Genital Mutilation, Human Trafficking as well as Harmful Widowhood Traditions are equally prevalent in other parts of the country.
Calling for continuous awareness creation on the subject matter, Rashidat, the fierce advocate of GBV, VAWG, HP and SGBV, also admonished all and sundry to name and shame perpetrators to serve as deterrent to others.
The District Head of Gagi, (Sarkin Yakin Gagi, Sani Umar Jabbi, said he is always honoured to stand before students to talk to them on issues of GBV, HP, VAWG amongst other crimes.
He also urged the girl-child to be closed to their parents, listen to them, follow their advice and distance themselves from unholy company.
In her reaction to the workshop, one of the participating students, Humaira Musa, thanked the United Nations Women and the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development for finding their school worthy of such advocacy.
