By: Jibrin Hussaini Kundum, Bauchi
Gender-Based Violence refers to harmful acts directed at an individual based on their gender which include sexual, physical, mental and economic harms inflicted in public or in private. It also includes threats of violence, coercion and manipulation. This can take many forms such as intimate partner violence, sexual violence, child marriage, female genital mutilation and so-called ‘honour crimes’. The consequences of gender-based violence are devastating and can have life-long repercussions on survivors.
Violence is a form of action that causes pain, destruction or suffering to the affected persons. All over the world, gender-based violence acts as threats to human rights and hinders the ability of the victims to contribute meaningfully to societal growth, sustainable peace and development. This is because victims of violence often find it difficult to express themselves freely or explore the talents embedded in them to make their environment more soothing, loving, peaceful and comfortable.
There is no gain saying the fact that, these phenomenon has deeply rooted in gender inequality and continues to be one of the most notable human right violations. Non Governmental Organizations like the BAOBAB foundation has it that gender-based violence can take different forms and mostly affects women and girls, which can result in physical, sexual, psychological or economic harm, depending on the society or individual being affected.
Consequently, gender-based violence takes different forms to operate within its environment thus they include: physical, sexual or psychological. Factors such as poverty, lack of education and unemployment are set to cause gender-based violence in the life of a person or a community. No matter the form of gender-based violence, it leaves several short and long-term implications for victims which prevents them from contributing actively to the promotion of sustainable peace and development.
Stakeholders particularly Non Governmental Organizations such as the Bauchi State Sexual Assault Referral Center, according to the founder of the Organization Hajiya Hadiza Muhammad from February to November 2023, it has received 200 case of Gender Based Violence mostly from the rural areas.
Another foundation, Ikra Youth and Women Group said it has received 500 cases of GBV and 100 out of the number are rape from Toro, Alkaleri and Katagum across Bauchi State in 2023, this is according to the director of the group Amina Garuba Ahmad as published by a national daily on 15 October 2023.
In 2021, 40 year old man has been arrested for allegedly rapping four year old girl in side Mosque in Igbo quarters Aminu street Bauchi. Malam Jamilu Abdullahi, Father of the victim,
“I lived in Igbo quarters, Bauchi,now living in Unguwar Sarakuna. My daughter who was the victim of the rape is Hauwa’u Jamilu , when the ugly trend happened, she was six years and now 9 years, “I was not at home went for livelihood and the mother of the victim, they called me and informed on the matter ,the people of my area took action. I am called on people to desist from discrimination to the people who were affected by such accident. I felt discourage and deep concern on the matter,with this I want to called on parents to be extra careful and monitor the affairs of their children to disassociate them from bad eggs. One of the reason why I changed my place of living is to protect my daughter from the discrimination, people in my old area describing the victim somehow.
GVB and experience:
According to Jamilu Abdullahib Bauchi State government,under the office of the first , deserved a wonderful commendation, because , she took the baby to the hospital for necessary medication, people like member representing Bauchi at the State house of assembly and Speaker of the house and other leaders ,I knowledge their contribution in the crusade.
Way forward : Relevant groups, local authorities, partners, and donors as well as concerned individuals such as Saving the future Girls Initiative, Way forward to North-East Youth, Ward Head of Gwallaga in Bauchi metropolis and Doctor Hamza Abubakar Hussaini From the department of Islamic , faculty of art and social science, Federal University Kashere, Gombe state, Barrister Mu’azu, a Bauchi based lawyer, relevant groups and concerned individuals such as Saving the future Girls Initiative, Way forward to North-East Youth, Ward Head of Gwallaga in Bauchi metropolis and Doctor Hamza Abubakar Hussaini From the department of Islamic , faculty of art and social science, Federal University Kashere, Gombe state, Barrister Mu’azu, a Bauchi based lawyer, said that GBV has been increasingly recognized as a grave challenge for public health, development and a violation of human rights and opined that the government should create facilities that would help women experiencing Gender Based Violence such as counselling centers, funds that will help victims get rehabilitated and invest in institutions like Police and the judiciary so that victims are assisted, the community should also establish community social structures such as community groups of both men and women provide a sensitization platform for people to share experiences related GBV.
Police as a law established agency, has a better role to play in the fight against gender-based Violence because, it has recorded at least 202 cases of sex and gender-based violence in 2022 according to the force Public Relations Officer Ahmed Wakili and also arrested a total of 326 suspected SGBV offenders in connection with the recorded crimes.
The police, according to the spokesperson, had in 2020 recorded 149 rape cases and other related offences and was able to arrest at least 257 suspects in connection with the cases.
Worried by the rising trends of sex-related offences, he said the command intensified “fight against the menace” which led to the decrease in the number of reported cases in Bauchi state.
The police said the drastic decrease in the number of cases this year was because of the intensive awareness creation and the command’s rigorous effort to prosecute offenders, adding that the command had set up an SGBV desk in all the Divisional Police headquarters as well as the four area commands in the state.
This story is supported by BAOBAB for Women’s Human Right, under the 2023 SGBV Media Fellowship Project.
