A NON-GOVERNMENTAL organisation, Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative, also known as Partners West Africa Nigeria (PWAN), has organised a four-day capacity building workshop for Mixed Observers Team (MOT) in Niger State.
Director of Programmes of the organisation in Nigeria, Sia Foday-Iscandari, while declaring the event open in Minna, the state capital, said the programme aimed at reducing the prevalence and incidences of sexual and gender-based violence and other public safety concerns that could arise in communities across the state, which will impact on women negatively.
Sia also stated that the key objective of the project is to work jointly not just with the security agents to address the menace, but also traditional and religious leaders.
She said: “Majority of gender violence incidents are not being reported, which is another barrier. That is why we are using this platform to let people have confidence to come forward and report it.”
In her remarks, the Programme Officer in Niger State, Nana Hauwa Isah, said that to achieve the desire objective of the programme in the state, the organisation is embarking on three project areas, which include police duty solicitors scheme, adding that the organisation has employed lawyers in the state to provide free services.
Nana further stressed that the programme has mixed observer team, which comprised women from different agencies, state and non-state actors and security agencies whose work is to have a platform where they can talk about gender-based violence, protection, reform and also take action.
Meanwhile, Director, Gender and Domestic Violence Department, Ministry of Justice, Niger State, Mairo Mohammed Man, said the department had handled over 1,500 cases of domestic violence.
She, however, assured that the department would continue to do its best to reduce domestic violence in the state.
In their separate remarks, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Khatumi Dauda Rufa’i, the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Maryam Ahmad, promised synergy between their ministries and PWAN.
They enjoined the participants to pay adequate attention to what they may be taught during the workshop. They also lauded the board and management of PWAN for the initiative.
