As Nigeria joined the global community to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Gender Based Violence against Women and Girls, the National Association of Seadogs, NAS, in the Northwest zone at the weekend, took its campaign to Makera community in Kaduna South local government area.
President of the Kaduna chapter of NAS also known as Pyrates Confraternity, Ambassador Dr Obinna Okpara said the association joined the UN to celebrate the international day and were able to collaborate with the Kaduna State Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Development, FIDA and other noble associations to create awareness and provide solution to the ills of the community.
He said the group is against any form of violence against women, including rape of the girl child and the issue of dropping the girl child from school because of her gender, adding that they were also against not giving women their rights in the family.
He said, “Now there is a rapid increase in this, and most times there is fear in the females to speak out when they are violated or their rights infringed upon. So we are here to sensitize the women and girl child who have experienced violence or sexual abuse on how to be better.”
Okpara said such experience could be traumatic, leading to mental issues to a point that some victims would contemplate committing suicide, adding that it was why they were with health officials and other experts to actually let them know they could overcome the trauma and live a better life, or where they could go for rehabilitation.
