As part of activities to end the sixteenth day of activism against gender-based violence against women, the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) Kaduna chapter, in collaboration with the women’s interfaith council, took a walk to the state correctional center to give some relief items to the female inmates.
Fatima Aliyu, the chairperson of the National Association of Women Journalists, said gender-based violence against women has been in existence and women suffer it the most.
“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 example, when a woman goes job hunting, men are more likely to take advantage of her before she gets the job.
Adding, “women are maltreated because they are seen as weaker vessels, hence our action of coming 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 genders are facing every day. Girls in schools are not immune because they are victimized by their teachers or male classmates. She said
Sister Veronica Ifenyiwa, the Executive Director of the 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 are putting on orange-colored outfits is to commemorate the 16 days of activities towards ending gender-based violence against women and girls.
“The orange color is simply telling 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 women or girls are kidnapped, they are kept in harsh weather and are subjected to various kinds of victimization.
Hence our call to the government to do everything possible to bring the situation to the barest minimum so that our society will be secured again. She explained.
Salihu Abdullahi, the Deputy Comptroller of the Correctional Centre, explained that as of December 10th, 2021, the center has 1630 inmates, of which 24 are females.
Out of the 24 females, 6 have been convicted and the cases they have been charged with are not gender-based but include breach of trust, rape, conspiracy, and kidnapping, among others.
Speaking on the living conditions of the inmates, Salihu said the females live better than the males because there are fewer of them.
He called on journalists to lend their voices to society so that the situations of the inmates would be known and may be appropriate support would come to them.
The former National Nawoj zonal secretary, Haj. Daharatu, while appreciating the reception given to the members of the women’s journalists at the correctional center, sympathized with the female inmates and assured them that the women journalists would lend their support to them.
“We will lend our voices through our profession because we are the mirror to society. We will write as well as broadcast your stories to draw the attention of various stakeholders who will revisit those cases which are bailable and minor. “
Some of the items given to the female inmates include sanitary pads, slippers, and soaps.
