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NDLEA CHAIRMAN, MARWA VISITS WCREF OFFICE

Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd.), CON, OFR during a courtesy visit to our office Women and Children’s Rights and Empowerment Foundation on the 3rd of February 2025. Discussed the effects of drug use on our society and how it affects women and Children.

MAIDUGURI FLOOD: WCREF DONATES TO VICTIMS.

… As BOCA react while monitoring exercise A Kaduna based Civil liberty Organisation, CLO; Women and Children’s Rights and Empowerment Foundation, WCREF has donated some relief materials to victims of flood disaster in Maiduguri, Borno State capital to aide alleviate their sufferings. Speaking during the presentation of the items to Prof. Hauwa Abdu Biu, a board member of BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights, executive director of WCREF, Barr. Mariam Marwa Abdu said her group’s gesture is to help alleviate the people’s suffering caused by the flood menace, and to as well let them know how valuable they are, and how her organisation care about them. Speaking further, Barr. Mariam assured them of their continued prayers and supports in this difficult time. Items presented include; detergents, bread, children’s wears, peanuts, mosquito nets, children’s rubber slippers etc. The items were thereafter taken to a settlement around the west end roundabouts in Maiduguri on Sunday, September 22nd, 2024 by the recipient’s CLO’s led by Prof. Biu who supervised the distribution to the men, women and children present at the IDP’s camp who received it with gratitude, and collectively prayed for Allah to bless and reward the donors abundantly and as well grant their cravings. Speaking briefly after the distribution exercise, Comrd. Mustapha Abba Mustapha, a Convener of the Borno Citizens Association, who monitored the distribution exercise on behalf of BOCA scored the process high, and commended the Kaduna based CLO, led by Barr. Mariam Marwa Abdu for identifying with the people of the state in this trying moment and described the gesture as a truest show of humanity. Continuing, Comrd. Mustapha Abba Mustapha used the occasion to call on State/FG, network of Civil Society Organisation (NECSO), iNGOs, Int’l organizations, individuals and people of goodwill across the globe to continue to extend succour to the people of Borno State in the flood affected areas, as he insisted doing so attracts special blessing and reward from Allah.

International Women’s Day: Foundation empowers women with disabilities in Kaduna

By: Mayen Etim KADUNA, North-West Nigeria – As part of activities to mark the International Women’s Day (IWD), the NGO, Women and Children’s Rights and Empowerment Foundation (WCREF), has trained ten women with disabilities on snacks making, juices and different types of patisseries in Kaduna State. This is as WCREF said the initiative is aim to give the women a livelihood and make them more independent. Speaking at a ceremony on Thursday, to present certificate of completion to the ten beneficiaries after a 2-day training at Badarawa Community in Kaduna North Local Government Area, the Executive Director of WCREF, Barr. Maryam Abdu, said her organization is working with vulnerable groups to seek inclusion, empowerment and build their capacity. She said in line with the Day’s theme: “Invest in women: Accelerate Progress” which informed the empowerment of the beneficiaries on skills acquisition; she said it also aligns with the #inspire inclusion campaign for IWD aimed to inspire and empower women from all walks of life. On what informed the choice of the facilitator of the training, Hajiya Hafsatu, the WCREF boss said, though a visually impaired person, the facilitator was not perturbed by her situation, rather was steadfast, level headed and dedicated to her craft. Barr Abdu further said it was the rare characteristics of Hajiya Hafsatu, that paved the way for other women to learn from her and break the glass ceiling which limits persons with disabilities in the society. “She has taught us all as women and as human beings that we should never ever let society or culture tell us that we cannot aim for the moon,” Abdu added. Hajiya Hafsatu, is the Founder of Rahafs Bites, a catering outfit  known for production of patisseries, fresh juices and gourmet cuisines, and has successfully trained over 50 women on snacks making, juices and different types of patisseries. In his remarks, the Executive Director, Improvement In Respect To Social Status of Disability, Dr. Micah Shabi, commended WCREF for beaming it’s searchlight and attention towards Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), particularly the women with disabilities in Kaduna State. According to him, the Disability Convention 2006, Article 6, showed that women and girls with disabilities are subject to multiple discrimination in the world, and this could only be tackled by organizations such as WCREF. One of the beneficiaries, Ms Priscilla Daniel, a visually impaired, expressed her gratitude to WCREF for the kind gesture, which has  afforded her and others the opportunity to acquire skills in snacks making, juices and different types of patisseries. She encouraged her colleagues to put to profitable use the little amount given to them as start-up packs. “We should endeavour to wisely use the little amount to start a small business. We do not need to rent a shop, rather with the little available we can start producing something and put them on display at the front of our homes, and gradually we will get to where we want to be,” Daniel urged. The IWD celebrate women’s achievement, raises awareness about discrimination, and takes action to drive gender parity. It is celebrated every year on March 8.

GBV: Foundation task media practitioners on gender sensitive reportage

…Wants Gov’t to work with CSOs to implement existing policies, laws By: Mayen Etim KADUNA, North-West Nigeria – The NGO, Women and Children’s Rights and Empowerment Foundation, (WCREF), has tasked media practitioners to practice gender sensitive Journalism and develop value based media that change the world and challenge gender inequality. Even as WCREF said the fight against Gender-Based Violence, (GBV) is a collective one, the Foundation called on government to work hand-in-hand with Civil Society Organizations, (CSOs) to implement existing policies and laws to curb the menace. Executive Director of WCREF, Barrister Mariam Marwa-Abdu, asserted this at a one-day training for media practitioners on Gender Based Violence (GBV), Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) and Gender Mainstreaming held in Kaduna on Wednesday, December 6. According to Barr Marwa-Abdu, gender-sensitive reporting is a practice of producing media content in a way that is sensitive to gender inequalities and portrays women and men fairly, it is a key principle of professional media production that is similar to values of accuracy and balance. Earlier in her remarks, the ED said the training was basically on gender mainstreaming -integrating a gender perspective to the content of reporting. She added that participants would be trained on the various forms and concepts of GBV and SEA so that they could get a deeper understanding about the menace. Speaking on ways to fight GBV, Barr Marwa-Abdu said people should first educate themselves on the root causes of the menace, then interrupt sexist or discriminatory language, stop sexual harassment, and stop victim blaming. Others she said are, “stop rape culture, create safe spaces to discuss gender based violence, stop stereotyping men and women’s roles, understand and practice consent; and through Gender sensitive/mainstreaming reporting.” The ED noted that fundamentally, SEA is a term used to describe inappropriate sexual conduct perpetrated by aid workers against recipients of assistance and other members of vulnerable communities in places like the IDP camps. She said in Nigeria there is the UN Strategy for Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abused and Harassment, (PSEAH); according to her, this works on strategies and policies to prevent and combat all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse in humanitarian operations. She cautioned media practitioners to refrain from discriminating against or stereotyping clients on the basis of sex or gender. “Treat all clients with equal respect, offering gender sensitivity training to all employees; provide adequate representation of female care providers,” she added. She therefore urged media practitioners to sensitize the people about policies, legal documents and acts such as the Violence Against Person Prohibition (VAPP) Act, Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, the Penal code and Criminal code to keep the people abreast and aware that there are existing laws to protect and promote the rights of women. According to her, people at the grassroots in particular should know about the existence of these laws and policies, because it is difficult on their own to get legal aid or get people to listen to them. “I want them to understand that they’re not alone, as there are actual remedies that they could avail to get perpetrators sent to jail and as well get social support from organizations such as ours.”