The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria has called on faith leaders to jettison norms embedded in religious beliefs that promote violence against women and girls.

The group said leaders need to promote safe spaces in religious circles and provide a counter-narrative on religion being used as a tool in promoting gender justice.

FIDA officials made this call in Lagos at a first meeting tagged, “Annual Dialogue with Religious Leaders On Preventing Violence against Women And Girls 2024”.

The programme is supported by the Ford Foundation as part of the implementation of its project entitled: “Engagement, Coordination and Sharing of Lessons on Gender-Based Violence Prevention between Religious, Traditional and Government Leaders in Nigeria.”

The Vice National President of FIDA, Mrs Amina Agbaje, in her address, said through the dialogue, religious leaders would serve as change agents and advocates of women’s and girls’ rights.

“It is expected that through this dialogue, faith leaders abdicate social norms of their members through effective messaging and campaigns while developing workable strategies in preventing gender-based violence occurrences in the places of worship,” she said.

Also, the Project Manager, Mr Fikih Obaro, said that religious leaders were important tools as they played vital roles in preventing gender abuse in the society.

Obaro said one of the aims of the dialogue was to build inter-faith platforms on preventing gender-based violence through effective coordination, collaboration and shared learning.

Her words: “Faith leaders are very important in tackling gender-based violence because they have the spiritual capital, they can be listened to and convey positive messages through their pulpits.

“We believe that religious leaders can be engaged properly in developing messages that can speak against gender violence in their places of worship. We want religious leaders to help tackle the menace of gender-based violence because we know their congregations listen to them.”

The chairperson of FIDA, Ikeja Branch, Mrs Marian Jones, however, charged them to serve as agents of change in their respective worship centres to prevent gender abuse.

A participant at the dialogue, Mrs Fausat Ajala encouraged women and girls to voice out when faced with gender abuse.

Ajala, who is the Financial Secretary of Jama-at-ul Islamiyya of Nigeria, Lagos Branch, said the dialogue would give room for religious leaders to enlighten their followers.