Activists on the Gender-Based Violence against women, the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Kaduna chapter, in collaboration with women’s interfaith council, took a walk to the state correctional centre, Kaduna, to donate some relief items to female inmates.
Hajiya Fatima Aliyu, the chairperson National Association of Women Journalists, said gender-based violence against women has been in existence and women suffer it the most.
Aliyu spoke as the organizations ended their 16 days of activism in Kaduna, saying “we have been to so many places and we noticed that women are being victimized which is not fair at all, hence, the need to end it because most women and girls are the most affected, for instance, when a female goes looking for employment, the men would mostly want to take advantage of her before offering the job”
Aliyu added “women are being maltreated because they are seen as weaker vessels. That’s why we have come out to express our sadness and cry to the concerned bodies that violence should stop and women should have their freedom.
“If we want to tackle the menace, women should be involved in decision making because they know what their fellow gender are facing everyday, the girls in schools are not exempted as they get victimized by their teachers or male school mates,” she said.
Sister Veronica Ifenyiwa, the Executive Director of women’s interfaith council and also a member of the missionary sisters of the lady of our apostles church, said the reason all the women activists are putting on orange-coloured outfits is to commemorate the 16 days activities towards ending gender-based violence against women and girls.
“The orange colour is simply telling the society to end any kind of violence against women and girls.”
Speaking on insecurity in Kaduna state, Sister Veronica said it has reached its climax because it is also encouraging violence against women in the sense that when the women or girls are kidnapped, they are kept under harsh weather and they face various kinds of victimization.
“We call on the government to do everything possible to bring the situation to the barest minimum so that our society will be secured again,” she explained.
Mr. Salihu Abdullahi, the Deputy Comptroller Of the Correctional centre, explained that as at 10 December, 2021, the centre has 1,630 inmates of which 24 are females.
“Out of the 24 females, six have been convicted and the cases they have been charged with are not gender-based, but bridge of trust, rape, conspiracy and kidnapping, among others.
Speaking on the living condition of the inmates, Abdullahi said the females live better than the men because they are few.
He called on journalists to lend their voices to the society so that the shoddy situation of inmates would be known and maybe appropriate support would come to them.
The former National NAWOJ zonal secretary, Hajia Daharatu Aliyu, while appreciating the reception given to the visitors at the correctional centre, sympathised with the female inmates and assured them that the women journalists will lend their support to them.
“We will lend our voices through our profession because we are the mirror to the society, we would write as well as broadcast your stories to draw the attention of various stakeholders who would revisit those cases which are bailable and minor.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the items given to the female inmates, include sanitary pads, soaps and slippers. (NAN)
