A Non-Governmental Organisation, Empowering Women for Excellence Initiative, has taken its campaign against gender-based violence to Ungwan Dosa Community in Kaduna State.
The campaign tagged ‘Our Safe Spaces’, was aimed at addressing gender-based violence in the state.
The campaign convener, Bilkisu Gwabin, said that the organisation, through its project, was working with 80 women.
“We engaged 40 women from Angwan Dosa and 40 from Angwan Romi, to sensitise them to the menace of GBV in the communities,” she said.
She said that so far, commendable efforts have been recorded as a result of the project.
“These women are expected to encourage other women within their circle and communities to also speak out against GBV. These women are already making waves and breaking this silence and whenever something happens, they follow up just to ensure that justice is done as well.
“The programme is also aimed at ensuring women are economically independent. There is a cooperative that was opened for them in their communities through which they are able to either boost their businesses or start afresh. We ensure that each and every one of them has something doing,” Gwabin said.
Also speaking, the EWEI Programme Officer, Mendie Jeremiah said. “We are here for the Angwan Dosa women. We want to see how we can get community support and commitment to ending violence against women and girls in the community.
“We are working towards getting the commitment of community stakeholders and influencers in Angwan Dosa to end GBV. It will be called the Angwan Dosa Declaration to end violence against women and girls.
“The declaration is going to be a working document that we will be using at the community level, and as a supporting backup for them to be able to engage with more women and girls in the community,” she said.
One of the beneficiaries, Ramatu Ishaq, said the project has helped women in her community to speak up and fight for their rights.
“Before the Our Safe Spaces project reached us, we were ignorant of what our rights were,” she said.
Another beneficiary, Hafsat Mikaili, also pledged her commitment to the declaration.
(NAN)
