By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF) in implementing the Rise Up Project has conducted town hall meetings in the two project local government areas of Kajuru and Kaduna North.
The town hall meetings which took place on Thursday April 21 and Saturday 23, 2022, had in attendance, security agencies, local government representatives, religious and traditional institutions, opinion leaders and community members.
At Kajuru LGA, the chairman represented by Councilor Admin and Finance, Jonathan Bala appreciated AMDF for the awareness campaign and called on the community to shun all forms of violence against women, girls, children and people living with disabilities (PLWDs).
In his remarks, the District Head of Kufana, Chief Titus Dauda said it was as a result of the awareness that his council resolved to abolished certain harmful traditional practices.
He appreciated Rise Up for what they brought to his people and assured the team of the sustainability of the project.
At Kaduna North LGA, Barr Amina Audi gave an overview of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law and informed the community that ignorance of the law is not an excuse in the court of law.
The Divisional Police Officer Sabon Gari, CSP A. Yusuf said that the police will continue to work with the community to prevent and reduce Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG),.
He said the community must know how to preserve evidence as the police cannot do anything without evidence.
An opinion leader, Professor Ibrahim Abdullahi called on parents to raise up their children in a Godly manner.
Imam Shafiu and Babasidi Kabir from Kajuru and Kaduna North respectively, spoke on the Islamic perspective to GBV.
They all said Islam as a religion, promotes and protects the rights of women and girls and does not condole violence against them.
In their remarks, Rev Enoch Kaura and Pastor Adeneian also spoke on the Christian perspective.
Speaking seperately, they said Christianity does not support violence in any way as Christ is the prince of peace.
The Rise Fellow and Project Manager, Honourable Benjamin Yunana Maigari gave an overview of the project and called on all participants to go back and be ambassadors in their various communities to telling others what they have learnt.
He appreciated the security agencies, religious and traditional leaders, the chairmen of Kajuru and Kaduna North, COMBAV team and the general populace for their support over the past eight months.
He told them that the project will soon be over, but the community should continue creating awareness and sensitization.
