The Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN) has lamented the rampant cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV) especially in Kano, Jigawa and Zamfara states.
FOMWAN national Programs Coordinator, Asiya Rodrigo, disclosed this in Kano during the closing ceremony of a three day training on Thursday.
The training was organised to sensitise 30 selected Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on GBV and other related practices in the affected states.
According to her, “Our aim is to strengthen advocacy around Converting Trafficking in Persons (CTIP), Converting Sexual and Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Converting Early Forced Marriages (CEFM) in three target states of Jigawa, Zamfara and Kano states.
“FOMWAN engaged in situation analysis across the target states and realised that these practices are so rampant, primarily in rural communities.
“There are long standing customs and traditions of these practices, so, this is why FOMWAN is coming in to build the CSOs’ capacity,” Rodrigo added.
The Coordinator also said the intervention is a five year project funded by USAID in Nigeria to strengthen civic advocacy and local engagement in the selected key areas.
One of the participants and the Chairman, Joint Association of People Living With Disability in Gombe state, Umar Ali Goro said disabled people are the most affected by the practice, explaining that the advocacy will go along way in addressing the issues.
Maureen Aloh, another particpant said the training has broadened their minds as agents of change, on the different categories of GBV.
