From Abdul Ardo
Two Humanitarian Non Governmental Organizations, the Women and Children’s Rights and Empowerment Foundation ( WCREF ) led by Hajia Mariam Abdu and Step Forward Charity Foundation headed by Abdulsalam Ridwan have jointly organised a one day sensitisation for the Communities of Gadan Maiwa of Ningi local Government area with a view to helping the less privileged on programmes that would be beneficial to them and sensitize them on gender based Violence.
The Communities who were visibly happy with the support of the Humanitarian Organizations on the sensitisation, commended the organizers for making them to be much aware of gender violence especially cases of rape which is very rampant in the community.One of the participants further said” our children, sisters and even the elderly women were being raped almost on daily basis on their way to the farms or somewhere that is isolated from the eyes of the public and no action is being taken when the case is reported, and that’s why most of them prefer to keep quiet and let the matter go quietly according to one of the local residents Hafsat Ya’u who said ” we thank God the Almighty for bringing this programme to us and we thank the founder for promising to be taking such cases to its logical conclusion whenever it occurs.
A Community leader Alhaji Abubakar explained to the organisers that there were problems Gender based Violence within the community adding that coming of the sensitisation is a blessing to them as many people have been sensitised to address the issue. He called on other Non Governmental Organizations to emulate the foundation and bring it closer to the people especially the less privileged who would certainly be the most beneficiaries.
The Executive Director of the Women and Children ‘s Rights and Empowerment Foundation Barr. Mariam said the foundation deliberately chose this community having realised that the community has been left behind in the training on Gender based Violence in the area and as such they are suffering in silence, she further said ” We are here to empower them and to make them know that if you have been raped, don’t suffer in silence and don’t keep it to yourself, I will actually be standing for you if the case arises and have created a coalition of able bodied who have different positions like the Police, Civil Defence, Lawyers and well meaning Nigerians to help out, ” We are 120% behind you as there are Laws, Policies that backs them and it’s time for us to not shy away from things done that are not our fault. It’s time to speak up and get justice she concluded.
Mr Abdulsalam Ridwan a co-convener of the sensitisation program explained that the Foundation had been in existence since 2018 and had been conducting the Sensitisation program on Gender based Violence GBV in the North Western part of the country.
On his part another resident said
before the coming of the programme, rape cases were on the high side and even recently, we have two cases of rape and we have handed the cases to Barrister Mariam Abdu who is already takimg up the matter inorder to help us take them up.
“May the Almighty Allah continue to help her and whoever is behind this foundation so as to continue to help the less privileged, in the community.
“Before the coming of the programme, rap
“May the Almighty Allah continue to help her and whoever is behi blessing to the community as many people had been sensitised on how to address it
“We are here to empower them to make them know that if you have been raped or knows anybody that has been raped, don’t suffer in silence and don’t keep it to yourself.
“I will actually be standing for them if the case arises and we have created a coalition of able bodied people who have different positions like the Civil Defence, Police, Lawyers and others.
“I want them to know that they are not alone, we are behind them 120 per cent as there are laws, policies that back them and It’s time for us to not shy away from things that are not our faults, it’s time for us to speak up and get justice,” she advised.
