By Sule Aliyu, Bauchi
As the world mark International day of elimination of violence against women, women comprising of magistrates, security agents, media and civil servants in Bauchi State has called on federal and state governments to enforce laws against persons who perpetrate violence women and children.
The women who made the call at an interactive session to mark the international day for the elimination of violence against women, organized by the Bauchi state Chapter of National Association of women journalists, NAWOJ,
The event which was held at the Nigerian Union of Journalist, NUJ conference hall in Bauchi, observed that laws against violators of women rights were not strictly adhered to, a situation that has led to the continuous violence against women and children.
Guest Speaker of the event, Chief Magistrate Safiya Musa who spoke on the topic violence against women in society, said that violence against women was a historical manifest ion of unequal power between a man and woman which has been in existence from time in memorial.
She decried the high rate of violence perpetrated against women and children and blamed the society for tolerating the norm.
“Wherever we find ourselves, we see various forms of violence against women and children. Each woman or girl child has been affected in one form of sexual harassment or the other. It has happened to either you, your sister or your neighbour. We are all affected in one way or the other”
“It is very unfortunate that violence against women is condoned by the society. It is sad that our men who are suppose to be protecting women are not their sister’s keepers” She said
Safiya urged the media to join global voices in the world and Step up reports that advance the rights of women and children instead of downplaying the matter.
In her address, the Bauchi leader in charge of women committee, Nigerian Labour Congress, Comrade Rukaiya Balan Mallam said that lack of education on violence against women was responsible for why women do not speak out whenever their rights are violated.
She called on security agents to avoid delaying prosecution of perpetrators of violence against women and ensure that justice is melted out on offenders to serve as a deterrent to others.
Speaking earlier, the Chairperson of NAWOJ, Bauchi State Chapter, Bulak Afsa observed that issues of impunity in the perpetration of violence against women and girls had continued unchallenged in the society and called women journalists in the state to continue to bring matters concerning violence against women to the front burner of national issues.
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