A Non-governmental Organisation in Nigeria, Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection alternatives, WRAPA has called on religious and cultural leaders to use moral appeals to tackle violence against women and girls.
This is sequel to a research finding organised by the group, which indicated that 85%/of women and girls experience one form of violence ranging from physical, economic, and Psychological to sexual attacks.
The founder of WRAPA, Justice Fati Abubakar made the call at a one-day National Dialogue with 100 Inter-Faith and Culture Leaders with the theme ” Moving from Rhetorics to Action, held at Tahir Guest Place, Kano State.
She said “the call became important because Religious and Traditional Leaders and Institutions are deeply rooted at all social levels in all communities.”
“They command respect, trust, and loyalty enabling them to exercise acceptable albeit limited sanctions for social deviations by members in their domain or congregation, including functions of counseling and arbitration relating to family life,” she said.
Justice Fati also appealed for support to survivors of violence in private and public spaces by strengthening their ability to speak out, seek help, and access justice to achieve zero tolerance for Violence Against Women and girls and its consequences.
She said; “the support offered by palaces, mosques, and churches often fill the gaps in the needs of Survivors of violence.”
She said the Dialogue was designed to provide an avenue for sincere conversations to correct perceptions and misrepresentations that allow narratives justifying some forms of violence against women and girls in different social settings.
Commendation
She commended the Ford Foundation and the Bayero University Kano Center for Islamic Civilization and Interfaith Dialogue, CICID for supporting the event.
Professor Aisha Abdul-Ismail spoke on the intersection of Social Norms VAWG, Reverend Mike Akinboboye spoke on VAWG Accountability and Communities while Dr. Mansur Yelwa and Basheer Adamu delved into Consensus actions to reduce the prevalence.
They also encouraged actionable consequences and Migration strategies for violence against women and girls respectively.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
