The Nasrul-Lahi-l-Faith Society (NASFAT), says it has partnered the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to end harmful practices against women and girls in the country.
NASFAT said plans are underway to launch a three-month campaign tagged “EU-UN Spotlight Initiative’’ where stakeholders in the communities would be engaged on how to address those practices.
The National Women Affairs Secretary of NASFAT, Mrs Suwebat Kupolati, stated this at a news conference on “Ending Violence against Women and Girls’’ on Wednesday in Abuja.
She explained that the initiative would focus on prevention efforts by addressing the root causes of violence against women and girls and ensure access to inclusive timely and quality services for women and girls survivors.
Kupolati stated that the campaign would send a strong message to the public that the epidemic of violence against women and girls needs to end.
“The European Union-United Nation’s Spotlight initiative is in partnership with NASFAT through UNICEF to sensitise communities on sexual and Gender-Based Violence and harmful social norms and practices.
“This is in recognition that religious communities are uniquely positioned to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls.
“This is will be realised by addressing the linkages between sexual and gender- based violence and harmful social norms and practices with related aspects of sexual and reproductive health as a cross cutting theme,” she said.
She assured that NASFAT would encourage the inclusion of ending violence against women and girls message in sermons on pulpits according to the teaching of Qur’an and Prophet Muhammad.
Kupolati said NASFAT, based on the teaching of Islam, detests any form of violence against every creature, let alone women and girls.
“Our message to all is that abusers and violators of women and girls will no longer go unpunished, as all efforts will be made to bring justice to victims of domestic violence,’’ she said.
Kupolati noted that many children especially girls were exposed to Gender-Based Violence and harmful practices, including female genital mutilation, female infanticide and child marriage. (NAN)
