Centre Renews Call for Collective Action to Address Gender Violence in Kano
By Rabiu Musa
HOTPEN – As part of its continuing effort to curb Gender-Based Violence in Kano, the Centre for Information Technology and Development CITAD has renewed its call to the government and relevant stakeholders for a collective action to address the rising cases of the problem.
This, according to the organization is a collective fight that requires all hands to be on deck to combat the menace.
The gender program officer of the Center, Zainab Aminu, re-stated the call while addressing newsmen on the reported cases of Gender-Based Violence received through the center’s mobile application in March 2022.
Zainab revealed that “in line with the CITAD’s effort to further de-escalate the spate of gender violence in Kano, the organization constituted 2 fully furnished ICT centers in Kano metropolis to serve a cluster of 11 schools to enable the students to have the required basic skills to operate computers, monitor and report GBV cases within the school environment”
She added that “We have also positioned several highly accomplished women professionals as mentors who are available both on-site and off-site to listen to the girls and other victims for counseling and support to overcome the trauma”
She noted with concern that the data collected in March depicts the persistent occurrence of Gender-Based Violence within all age ranges in both rural, urban, and suburban communities with prevalence in Urban communities.
According to her, the highly reported case is Sexual Harassment and the perpetrators are mostly male, adding that the cases of Rape, and other GBV, even though under-reported still call for action.
She said “15 cases were reported via our GBV App for the month which includes Rape, Sexual Harassment, Online Harassment, and school violence”.
“We appeal to the Kano State Government to adopt the Child Rights Act and VAPP Act at the state level to protect women and girls”.
“In the same vein, the state government should not only adopt laws to protect women and girls but modify the state Penal Code and also establish Referral Centers and Forensic Centers for victims”.
“Similarly, we would like to commend the efforts of our traditional and religious leaders and all stakeholders in intensifying their effort to create awareness against GBV. We would also like to commend FIDA (Federation of Women Lawyers, Kano) for their efforts in seeking justice and rehabilitation of survivors so far”.
“Equally, we will like to appeal to parents, relatives, and others to always report cases either directly to us or other sister NGOs as well as to government agencies such as the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), National Orientation Agency (NOA), Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons (NAPTIP) or Hisbah”.