In a bid to make the enacted Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act and Child Protection laws, stakeholders on Tuesday called for special court in Gombe to try gender-based violences in the state.
Speaking at Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, at a one-day symposium in commemoration of 2024 16 days of activism on ending violence against women and girls, Chairman of Gombe Network of Civil Society Organisations Ibrahim Yusuf, said the special court would help mitigate growing cases GBV.
Our correspondent reports that the symposium was organised by United Nations Women, CLEEN Foundation in collaboration with women peace and security in Gombe State.
This symposium is in commemoration 16 days of activism with the International Day for the elimination of violence against women and will end on December 10, Human Rights Day.
With the theme Unite! To end violence against women and girls.
According to him, aside special court, government should strengthen gender-based violence units in Ministries of Women Affairs and Social Development; Justice and Health.
He said, “There should be Strengthening of GBV units in Ministries of Women Affairs and Social Development, Justice and Health and establish special court that will try GBV cases.”
On her part, Hajiya Halima Mahdi called for training and retaining of Women Affairs personnel to ensure that there is succession plan in order to mitigate gaps, adding “So that those that will take over will know the activities of the ministry and be able to carry it out for the good of women and girls in the state.”
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Also speaking, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development Shelpidi Modi, urged stakeholders for collaboration in order to mitigate gender-based violences in Gombe State.
“We can’t continue like that. If there is anything we need to improve on come and tell us. Anywhere I go I try to leave a legacy. I urge all of us at the end of today’s meeting to put things in writing so that we can follow it sequentially towards solving all. Forgive the ministry where you feel we are not doing right,” the permanent secretary added.
Programme Officer of CLEEN Foundation, Mr Nnamdi Odo, tasked stakeholders on effective communication in order to advance a common front.
Odo called on Technical Working Group on gender-based violence to assidiously work towards mitigating the growing cases of abuse against women and children.
