Expressing dissatisfaction with the spike in Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases in Zamfara, the local chapter of the Civil Society Organizations Network focused on combating such issues revealed that the numbers have surged from 300 to 600 within the state.
The escalated figures were attributed by the group to the failure to enforce the Violence Against Person Prohibition (VAPP) law and prosecute offenders adequately in Zamfara.
At their quarterly review session held in the state capital, Gusau, the CSO network urged the state administration to establish a GBV Survivors Trust Fund to provide aid to victims struggling with trauma.
Teaming up with community leaders, religious bodies, the Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), as well as the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), the Civil Society Organizations Network recently convened in Gusau to evaluate their strategies in combatting Gender-Based Violence.
Focusing on the necessity of heightening awareness and empowering stakeholders to effectively address the issue, the group also pressed for the implementation of a mobile court by the Zamfara State Government to handle GBV cases and enforce pertinent laws.
Attributing the rise in GBV cases to factors like insecurity, the Chairman of the Network, Hashim Ahmed, emphasized the essential need for committed efforts from all stakeholders to combat the scourge in Zamfara.
During discussions, Musa Umar, the Executive Director of Voluntary Aid Initiative (VAI), and Abdullahi Abubakar, the State Coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), highlighted that Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are particularly vulnerable to GBV.
The network also appealed to the private sector to contribute to the fight against GBV by providing funding to curb the issue, urging development partners like International Alert to enhance stakeholder capacity and aid in prosecuting GBV cases within the state.