IWD: Group Empowers Kaduna Women, Launches Cooperative Societies

The Empowering Women for Excellence Initiative (EWEI) has joined the rest of the world to mark this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) celebration in Kaduna.

The event held at the City Comprehensive Academy, Kujama in Chikun Local Government Area of the State also officially launched four Multipurpose Cooperative Societies and presentation of N10.3 million cheque for the groups in favour of Kujama and Kasuwan Magani women and girls (Beneficiaries) of the Together We Can (TWC) project supported by the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women.

Speaking at the ceremony-cum-launching, the Kaduna State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Sule Shuaibu (SAN), commended EWEI’s initiative of providing support and succour to the women and girls in the state.

The Attorney general, who was represented by a Director in the state Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Ayiku Thomas said women and girls face a lot of societal challenges ranging from sexual exploitation, forced marriages, abandonment, financial deprivation and other forms of harmful traditional practices.

According to him, the Kaduna State Government has at different fora and at different times reiterated it’s commitment to address these issues; noting that it was for these reasons that the state amended its Penal Code to impose stricter measures to punish perpetrators of these crimes against women, girls and children.

He said this was further strengthened by the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law as well as the Child’s Rights and Welfare Law.

Adding that “To ensure that justice is enforced in the state, we have put in place a Sex Offenders Database that is linked to the National Sex Offenders Database where convicts of rape cases are recorded to name and shame them to serve as a deterrent for would-be protractors of SGBV.”

In his goodwill message, the Chairman of Chikun Local Government Area, Salasi Musa represented by the Council Secretary Jummai Victor assured EWEI of the council’s support in whatever way possible for the women and girls.

He said that, the establishment of the cooperative societies is the best way the women and girls could get their economic and financial independence; pointing out that without this, a woman’s ability to support her spouse and children in the home front will be most difficult.

Also, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Murtala Dabo, who was represented by the Head of Women in Agriculture in the ministry, Dinah Sambo, said about 45 per cent of the Unit’s activities is allocated to women, youth and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs); assuring that the Unit will do more to carry the women along in its activities.

Also Read: SGBV: Kaduna state records 1,097 cases in 2023

The TWC project through four seminars held in the Kasuwan Magani and Kujama communities for women and girls’ survivors of violence, has increased the awareness of psychosocial services to 86 per cent from 37 per cent, thereby recording a 79 per cent knowledge gained by the beneficiaries.

The beneficiaries also have gained an understanding of intersectional discrimination and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), by 64 per cent. The project also saw a 100 per cent willingness by the women and girls to access psychosocial support services.

To further support the beneficiaries, four multipurpose cooperative societies were established, with each supporting 15 women in achieving economic and financial independence to improve the livelihoods of the women and girls in the two communities.

The four cooperative societies – Dogara Women Multipurpose Cooperative and Masara Women Multipurpose Cooperative for Kasuwan Magani community; while the Kujama community has the Togetherness Women Multipurpose Cooperative and the Aminci Women Multipurpose Cooperative.

Their leaders were sworn-in to office by EWEI’s Legal Adviser, Barrister AA Fali.

This year’s IWD celebration also had in attendance female students drawn from Government Secondary School (GSS), Kasuwan Magani who were given a pep talk on VAWG by EWEI’s Programme Manager for TWC project, Julianna Joseph, who emphasized the need for them to be aware that there’s violence against them which they might erroneously think it’s how the society ought to be underscoring the importance for them to empower themselves.

This, according to her, will enable them to speak out if violence is being perpetrated against them.

“If you’re being violated in school and after you’ve reported, the school authority is not ready to take actions, meet any of the women, or go to the District’s Head office who have all been trained, an health facilities who are service providers and first responders for referral for counselings on violence against you,” she urged.

One of the students, 18-year Old Nuriyya Yusuf in SS.3, when asked by this Reporter if she would be bold enough to speak out should anyone perpetrate violence against her or any other person despite the hostile environment women and girls find themselves, she answered in the affirmative.