Longtong Yakubu, Kano
Bridge Connect Africa Initiative (BCAI), a Non-Governmental Organisation in Kano has trained 50 Gender-Based Violence (GBV)survivors and those at risk with a view to empowering them economically and taking action against GBV in the state.
Speaking recently during a three days training program in Kano, BCAI’s Communication officer, Juliet Nwobodo, said the Canadian funded project – Women Against Violence Empowerment through Sustainability (WAVES) aims to empower and train beneficiaries on GBV for over a period of five months.
She said the project tends to establish relationships with the women and link them up with facilities working on GBV such as the Police, Lawyers offering pro bono services, facilities providing counseling and support services, hinting that, many women are not aware of the laws and processes available to support survivors.
She explained that the training brought experts such as the Police, public health specialist, lawyers amongs others to train them on how to go about the processes.
In his remarks, the administration manager Kano State WARAKA Sexual Assualt and Referral Centre, Abba Ahmed, GBV in the state is still alarming, despite efforts to address the issue; noting that, it has an average record of 30-38 cases per month of sexual assaults mostly among young children.
He however stressed on the need for the state to provide support to these vulnerable groups, pointing out that they are citizens of the state who deserve attention to their social and general well-being.
While lamenting on the low technical support for capacity building, facility tools, and support for survivors to recover and reintegrate into the society, he said the center primarily handles cases of sexual violence, including sexual assault, rape and make referrals on other types of GBV to other agencies.