From Femi Mustapha and Divine Macaulay, in Kaduna
The Kaduna State Government In commemoration of the 16 days of Activism against Gender Based Violence (GBV) the Kaduna State Government has organized a road walk to declare zero tolerance for any act of violence.
Addressing the media after the 3Kilometer walk that terminated at the Sir Kasihm Ibrahim House, the wife of the State Governor Hafsat Uba Sani reiterated the need for governments and all stakeholders to work together towards ensuring that vulnerable people are protected against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.
Hajiya Hafsat Uba Sani, who was represented by the Kaduna State Commissioner of Business Innovation and Technology, Mrs. Patience Fakai, said that the road walk is to amplify voices against GBV and to encourage the people of Kaduna State to have zero tolerance for any form of violence.
She added that Gov. Uba Sani has proved his commitment to women’s empowerment by organizing many projects to support the female gender and involving women in his administration.
“Part of the measures that can stop this is creating awareness to the whole society, especially in our places of worship.
“We should encourage such talks in our churches and mosques; We should inculcate that understanding that both the man and woman are partners in the home. The male should understand that the woman has a say too in certain things,” She said.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Gender and Social Inclusion, Rebecca Maulome Padonu, said that there is a need to unite and invest in preventing violence against women and girls.
She disclosed that the State has established many reference pathways where people can go to report cases of GBV and receive treatments or psychosocial support and advice.
“This movement is necessary because when you invest in women and girls, you are investing in general capital development; if you help a woman, you are helping the nation. It is the women who take care of the home at the end.
“The men of course we love you and we are happy that you are out here to support us today these are the people we call he for she and we are Grateful that you provide for us, you protect us but women are the homemakers, they stay at home and ensure that everything goes on well.
“Imagine that we have violence being perpetrated continuously in our society; it means that a lot of things will go into shambles or will not even work; it means all the support that the government is giving will not show at the end of the day.
That is why we are grateful for the government of Senator Uba Sani and the First Lady, Hajiyya Afsat Uba Sani, who made sure that we are here today to do this work which is in support of those who are fighting so much to prevent gender-based violence.
“The governor is doing so well as we say; he is the governor of social inclusion for all genders; he ensures the representation of women across the board and that women and girls are empowered. We just had a women empowerment summit, and the governor made sure that women were taken care of and prioritized.
She noted that some of these acts of domestic violence are rooted in cultural norms as some persons simply believe that women don’t have a say in decision-making either in the home or in matters of State, and some cultures support it.
“We agree that men are part of the family, but as women, we are supposed to be marriage partnersence, they should be able to speak as well.
“The reasons we have this gender-based violence is because of the deeply pitted issues in our society and culture, and some of the ways we can prevent it is to ensure that men are at the table.
“As I always say, when we have the HeforShe men who support this course, men preventing this violence, it will go a long way because they are the ones who should stand for us, protecting us from every danger, letting other men know that it is wrong to put their hands on a woman no matter what.
“The men should stand by their wives and invest in them and also get them involved in the day-to-day running of the home, reasoning with them, this will make women feel among.
“But some men just beat up a woman when she speaks, but the thing is, a woman is a human being like a daughter, then a wife and a mother. So Men should come together and prevent gender-based violence,” she said.
