A non-governmental organization, Dorothy Njemanze Foundation (DNF), has announced a strategic partnership with traders across Niger State north central Nigeria to combat Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
The initiative was unveiled during a street walk from the popular Obasanjo Complex to the Abdulkadir Kure Ultra-Modern Market, organized by DNF under its Street Bomb Campaign Against Gender-Based Violence.
Speaking to journalists, the State Coordinator of DNF, Nuhu Mohammed, emphasized the urgent need to tackle harmful cultural practices such as early and forced marriages, female genital mutilation, corrective rape, and other forms of gender-based violence.
“The enlightenment campaign highlights the dangers of harmful religious and cultural practices that hinder the growth and development of the girl child, affecting their rights, wellbeing, and opportunities,” he stated.
Mohammed, who also serves as the Niger State Coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to engaging traders and leveraging innovative advocacy strategies to drive change within communities.
Paralegal Usman Abdulkadir called for collective action to support survivors of SGBV, stressing that perpetrators often hide behind cultural and religious norms to justify their actions.
Similarly, the Youth Leader of the Amalgamated Market Traders Union, Surajo Umar, pledged to spread the message to grassroots communities, while the Union’s Secretary, Comrade Magaji Usman, appealed for greater inclusion of market stakeholders in the fight against SGBV.
As part of its advocacy efforts, the DNF delegation also visited key religious and traditional leaders, including the Emir of Minna, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI).
With its operations spanning Abuja, Nasarawa, and Niger States, the Dorothy Njemanze Foundation remains steadfast in its mission to end gender-based violence and protect the rights of vulnerable populations.
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