NBA, UN advocate national conversation on gender inclusiveness, girl child education, others

Foundation Takes Campaign To Schools, Urge
Women To Report Cases Of Sexual Harassment

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called for conversation and action around gender inclusion on a national scale, specifically within the justice sector.

NBA, Abuja branch Chairman, Folarin Aluko made this call yesterday in Abuja at a thematic convening on the gender dimension of the farmers-herders conflict in Nigeria organised by Partners West African Nigeria (PWAN).

Represented by Tomisin Binuyo, Aluko urged both the Federal and State governments to place emphasis on education, especially for the girl child, as a critical component of communal compensation and restoration. Disclosing the level of the NBA’s engagement in gender equality advocacy on social media, he said they would like to collaborate with PWAN and other stakeholders on mainstreaming the advocacy.

The United Nations (UN) Senior Women Peace and Security Consultant, Semiha Abdulmelik, explained that the importance of gender and conflict analytic framework was to allow for a nuanced understanding of the conflict and its impacts, and therefore broaden perspective on possible entry points and solutions.

Furthermore, a group, Juli Education Initiative is educating students in secondary schools around its cluster areas on the need to respect the opposite sex and the importance of speaking up in cases of sexual harassment.

At a visit to the Bakin Ado Government Secondary School Ado and Government secondary school, Koroduma both in Nasarawa state, founder and CEO, Joy Ogiator called on parents, religious gatherings and online users to continue to preach the message of human dignity and also to discourage any form of sexual harassment, body shaming and rape. Ogiator stressed the need for the legislature and judiciary ensure stricter punishment of offenders who abuse children.

She said they want to give equal educational opportunities to children in poor communities, believing that rape and sexual harassment need to be nipped in the bud if girls are to focus in school and pursue a bright future.