Sultan Foundation takes GBV campaign to Yobe Emirate Council

Sultan Foundation takes GBV campaign to Yobe Emirate Council

The Emir of Ngelzarma, Alhaji Muhammadu Zannah Maiyeri Ibn Isah III, has called on his subjects to support efforts to raise awareness against gender-based violence affecting young girls and boys in society.

The Emir made this appeal on Monday while receiving members of the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development at his palace in Ngelzarma town.

He noted that combating gender-based violence requires a collective effort, as such, the people must stand against such tendencies due to their detrimental effects on society.

The monarch commended the foundation for choosing Yobe State and the Ngelzarma and Bade Emirates for their enlightenment campaigns. He assured the foundation of the Emirate Council’s support in achieving the campaign’s objectives in the area.

In his remarks, Haruna Yusuf Aliyu, the Senior Program Officer of the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development, stated that they visited the palace to seek the support and collaboration of the Ngelzarma Emirate Council, stressing that their goal is to mobilise faith and cultural leaders to advocate for social norms change regarding gender-based violence and harmful practices in Nigeria and, by extension, the West African region.

He announced that the foundation would implement a project called the “LEAP PROJECT” in the Bade and Ngelzarma Emirate Councils of Yobe State.

“The project will be implemented in four states, including Yobe, Sokoto, Plateau, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja,” he said.

“A platform will be established, and the target states will leverage existing platforms to ensure the project’s success, aiming to address gender-based violence and harmful practices in the two emirate councils.

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“We appreciate the warm reception we received upon arrival and during our advocacy visit, as well as the roundtable discussion attended by about thirty to forty faith and traditional leaders, including women’s organisations,” he further remarked.

Aliyu expressed gratitude for the participation of various groups, particularly in the feedback received during the meeting. He said this signifies the project’s acceptance by the different stakeholders present and assured that the foundation would provide all necessary support to help the community spread the message.

He mentioned that town hall meetings and lectures would be conducted at various places of worship to extend the message to the community.

Arewa PUNCH reports that the selection of Yobe State, along with the Bade and Ngelzarma Emirate Councils, for the project was based on mapping the issue by the foundation’s partners under the UN Women program to address the challenges of gender-based violence and other harmful practices in the state.

A highlight of the event was a roundtable discussion with key stakeholders to initiate and select faith and cultural leaders who will lead the project’s implementation in the area.