From Abdurrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
Female political appointees of Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, have joined forces with prominent civil society organisations to combat the high spate of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the state.
With statistics showing Gombe ranking high among states in Nigeria for GBV incidents, the coalition aims to address the issue head-on. The alliance, which is led by the state’s first lady, Hajiya Asma’u Inuwa Yahaya, is expected to lead the way in creating a safer and more inclusive society for women in Gombe.
Speaking during a roundtable discussion in commemoration of the 2024 16 Days of Activism in Gombe, the first lady expressed that the state is leveraging the influence of various women and collective resources to fight GBV.
“We hope to drive meaningful change and bring an end to the pervasive culture of violence against women and girls. We are calling on the wives of local government chairmen to set up special committees dedicated to combating GBV.”
Asma’u, who was represented by the state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Asma’u Iganus, explained that GBV is a pressing issue that requires all hands to be on deck. She added that by involving the wives of local government chairmen and other officials, the campaign is expected to gain traction and foster community-wide support in eradicating the harmful practices.
“GBV is a crucial issue that needs concrete steps from all stakeholders to be addressed; we have to work towards a safer and more inclusive society for all,” the first lady said. Speaking further, Asma’u explained that the committee is expected to take charge of community engagement, dialogues, and awareness campaigns on GBV.
They are also to collaborate with community-based organisations to amplify efforts in combating issues around GBV. In her remarks, the wife of the chairman of Gombe LGA, Aishatu Adamu Usman, commended the first lady for standing against GBV, adding that she and the wives of other chairmen had already stepped up efforts in tackling the menace.
She said, “We have already developed a hotline for victims and survivors to report cases, and now we have been told about the need for a safe space for victims, and we are going to look into developing such space across our LGAs,” Aishatu said.