A Non-Governmental Organization, Empowering Women for Excellence Initiative(EWEI) through Our Safe Spaces (OSS) project mobilized community leaders, youths and security personnel of Ungwan Dosa, Angwan Romi of Kaduna South and Chikun LGAs respectively, to help end Gender based Violence in the communities.
The OSS project which started around 2019 is a three years programme funded by the United Nations Trust Fund, is aimed at tackling Gender based Violence, helping the Internally Displaced persons and the Minority group.
Jeremiah Mendie, programme officer EWEI, explained that the activity is to see how they can get support from community leaders, security agencies, youths among others to curtail any form of gender based violence.
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He said, “we are here for the Unguwan Dosa women and we want to see how we can get community support and commitment to end violence against women and girls in Angwan Dosa”
“We will engage with traditional leaders, youths and security personnel in Angwan Dosa, which they have agreed with an ideology called the Angwan Dosa declaration to end violence against women and girls.
He explained that the declaration will be documented, and to be used at the community level to engage with more women and girls in the community, which is part of the Our Safe Spaces project.
Bilkisu Ali Gwabin, Focal Person Our Safe Spaces (OSS) project, said that the organization is engaging with 80 Women; 40 from Angwan Dosa and 40 from Angwan Romi to achieve the aim of ending GBV in the communities.
She expressed that, “We hope that at the end of the programme, women will be confident to break the silence on GBV and also to be able to assist one another.
“The foundation aims to help women economically, also there is a cooperative that was opened for them in their communities, so through these cooperatives they will be economically independent”. She added.
Speaking to some beneficiaries at the occasion, they said the project is an eye-opener.
Ramatu Ishaq, a beneficiary felicitated that, “I was jobless, but with the coming of Our Safe Spaces programme, has help me to start a business, which has developed due to the assistance they provided to me”.
Hafsat Mikaili said, “whenever there is a case of rape, or domestic violence in our areas, we don’t normally know who to complain to. We thank this organization, for they have taught us how to fight for our rights in a more proper way”.
