Groups Campaign Against Tribal Marks, Forced Marriages, Violence

By: Damilola Adeleke

Group of Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) have concluded arrangements to commence massive campaign against inscription of tribal marks on the girl-child, forced and early marriages as well as gender based violence.

This was contained in a joint communique issued to the media on Wednesday by the group after the end its multi-stakeholder dialogue held recently at NOGALSS Meeting Hall, Jibril Aminu House, Central Business District, Abuja.

The group, made up of the Association of Wives of FCT Traditional Rulers (AWTR), Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), Community and Girl-Child Support Initiative (Com-Aid) and Spotlight Initiative Programme, among others, agreed to combine efforts against all forms of gender based violence, especially against women, early and forced marriages and defacing of the girl-child with traditional marks.

Moreso, the NGOs moved to ensure integration of Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015 and Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy Response into sexual and reproductive health, education and migration in the Abuja Municipal Area Council.

Urging women and girls to speak out when they experience incident of violence, discrimination and injustice against them, the stakeholders stressed that even the two leading religions in Nigeria provide for women’s rights to own property; adding that there was that necessity for them to be educated they could achieve this without stress.

The communique while charging all “youths to eschew all acts of violence that threaten Human dignity”, called on the society to change its perspective, assuring that women were also good leaders and they should be supported to lead.