By Martha Nuhu


Plateau (Mangu) July 29, 2022(NAN) The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) has moved to address gender based violence in communities in Plateau state.

At a meeting with stakeholders in Mangu local government of Plateau state, National Programme Manager FIDA, Mr Fiki Obaro stated that the project was to end harmful practices affecting women in the society.

“This project sponsored by Ford Foundation in collaboration with FIDA is taking place in two communities each of Plateau, Lagos and Ekiti states respectively.


“This Action Plan Progress review meeting is to ensure that the communities are channeling their energy towards protecting women and girl child from harmful practices in the society,” he said. 

Stakeholders in Plateau state have taken deliberate steps to address Gender Based Violence and harmful traditional practices such as child marriage, women disinheritance and denial of girl child education in Plateau communities.

The District Head, Mangun, Mangu Local Government Area, Da Job Damiyal said the traditional institution in the community had come up with a Bye-Law that would address all forms of marginalization against women.

"We have realised that there are some cultural practices that affects women and girls child negatively and we are working on changing the narrative which is why we introduced a by-law that will address the issues.


"Women should not be marginalised because there are some practices such as forced marriage, lack of payment of dowry, disinheritance and so on, a girl should not just be forced into marriage without due process and some consideration.

"The girl child must be given every opportunity, especially as it concerns education, the girl child was not seen as useful and is given out to marriage but we want to change that in our community because it is the girl child is as important as the male child.

We want to ensure that the girl child is given her rightful place in the society, as a community we have decided that some traditional practices will not uplift womanhood are stopped in order for the girl child to flourish in the society,” he said.

Similarly, Mrs Rahila Pinshak, a community member, said the programme has enlightened them on the need to kick against child marriage in the society.

Pinshak lamented that most female children who were forced into early marriage end up with VVF and some times died at the point of delivery.

Representative of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Julius Abalis described the programme as important and said it is useful on changing negative narrative that grossly affected women.

A woman Leader of Mangun District, Mrs Plangnan Luka said the programme has liberated most women who were marginalized by their spouses.

Luka added that women in the community now understand when their rights have been violated and speak out when they are being abused. 

Programme Officer FIDA Nigeria, Rita Lasoju encouraged the community to carry out the Action Plan judiciously to eliminate issues of gender violence in the areas.

Lasoju explained that the programme is aimed at empowering women and girls child to contribute effectively in the growth and development of the society.