Group tasks young women, boys on need to end SGBV in Bauchi

By Samuel Luka, Bauchi

The urgent need for young women and boys to work towards putting an end to Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) in Bauchi state has been stressed by a Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) known as Association for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Nigeria (AONN).

The NGO which is operating with the support of Nigerian Women Trust Fund gave the task during a sensitization forum at the National Veterinary Research Institute Bauchi and Dass local government area on Monday.

Mr Joel Timothy, AONN Secretary and facilitator during a sensitization forum while speaking, urged the youth to voice out against Sexual and Gender-based Violence.

He explained that Gender-based violence (GBV) is violence committed against a person because of his or her sex or gender.

“It is forcing another person to do something against his or her will through violence, coercion, threats, deception, under-age marriage, female circumcision, cultural expectations, or economic means”, he said.

Timothy also urged young women and youth to be catalysts for change, and ask salient questions that can further improve the quality of life for young women, youth and human rights.

“Speak up against Domestic Violence, Female Gender Mutilation, Emotional and Verbal Abuse, inequality and poor representation during policy formulation”, Timothy reiterated.

“Women are susceptible to a lot because culture and religion make it difficult for women to ask questions that can liberate them”, he further explained.

The Secretary who advised young women and boys to always seek professional help or talk to a trusted persons, confide in them, noted that healing comes from sharing information.

On her part, Mrs Celine Jakaw Executive Director, Bauchi Community Oriented Initiative stressed the need for vulnerable individuals in the society to be protected.

““There are levels to GBV, there’s physical violence, emotional violence, sexual violence and psychological and mental violence”, she said.

“We need to focus on the crime and stop shaming victims of these crimes.
“Law enforcement agencies need reorientation; shame is one of the tools the society uses to silence victims,” she added.

Jakaw urged the young women and boys to educate their families and friends, in the case of rape and that gathering evidence played more important role than emotions.

Also speaking, Dr Yakubu Atuman, Director of the Veterinary Research Institute Dr appreciated AONN coming up such initiative to sensitize the students on menaces of gender based violence

He called on AONN to come again with the same initiative saying there are many forms of GBV that the community doesn’t know that are violations, he mentioned them as economic, sexual, words, expression, violence etc.

In Dass, Mr Sunusi Yakubu, Social Welfare Orphans and Vulnerable desk officer, stressed the need to stand against Sexual and gender based violence in Dass communities as a result of prevalent cases and incidents in Dass.

Another Participants in Dass, Rauta Joseph Executive Director, Zabia Ruth Foundation encourage the participants to continue with awareness creation and sensitization on sexual and gender Based violence in order to combat, report and respond to it whenever it occurred.