NOA engages Gombe stakeholders to end GBV

The National Orientation Agency (NOA), on Thursday engaged stakeholders in Gombe in a rewed campaign to end Gender Based Violence in the state.

Mrs. Adaline Patari, the NOA Director in the state, while speaking at a town hall meeting in Gombe, said everyone had a role to play in fight against the menace.

She said the agency organized the engagement exercise to mark the 16 Days of Activism against GBV, aimed at raising awareness on the need for renewed efforts to end the social problem.

She said that violence against women and girls was not just a violation of human rights but a threat to societal progress, peace, and development.

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“It leaves scars, both visible and invisible, that hinder individuals, families and communities from reaching their full potential.

“The statistics are staggering but more than numbers, these in real lives affected our mothers, sisters, daughters and friends.

“To truly end violence against women and girls, we must unite as a nation and as a global community. This unity transcends gender, age, religion, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status,” she said.

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Patari emphasised the importance of collective efforts and sustained advocacies in ending GBV, adding that beyond speaking up against the menace, actions were needed through law enforcement.

She urged stakeholders to take actions towards ensuring justice for the survivors, and support them to access medical care and psycho social support.

Mr. Hayatu Usman, the Commissioner of Police in the state, commended the stakeholders for their support to the fight against the menace.

Represented by Musa Ningi, ACP in charge of Administration, Usman urged the people to shun lobbying for the release of suspects detained on alleged GBV cases, describing the trend as “discouraging”.

He restated the commitment of the command towards ensuring diligent prosecution of the perpetrators.

In a presentation, Fatima Hassan, Founder of the Santanah Care Foundation, urged community and religious leaders to intensify efforts towards addressing the problem.

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Hassan said that although the scourge mostly affects women and girls, men were also being violated, hence the need for stakeholders to be more vigilant.

Malam Abdullahi Doma, the District Head of Doma, pledged the support of traditional rulers to the fight against GBV in the state.

Doma said traditional leaders were doing a lot to check violence against women and girls at the grassroots.

He said that they would collaborate with the security agencies to end the menace, to ensure a free and safe society for women and girls.