The National Youth Service Corps has expressed commitment to champion campaigns against Gender Based Violence nationwide.
The Director General of NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, made the commitment on Wednesday in Bauchi during the flagging off of the first phase of grassroots gender sensitisation and advocacy campaign in rural communities for Northern states.
According to him, the scheme would also champion a campaign against all forms of inequality using Corps Gender Vanguard Community Development Service groups as foot soldiers across the 774 Local Government Areas in the country.
The DG, who was represented by the Bauchi state Coordinator of NYSC, Rifkatu Yakubu, explained that the sensitisation and advocacy campaign was a well-thought-out initiative of the Reforms Coordination and Service Improvement Department of NYSC.
He said the development is aimed at exposing the ills of Gender-Based Violence and Gender Inequality in society.
Nafiu revealed that “While gender issues are often misconstrued as affecting females alone, it is important to note that they include matters of concern to both genders in terms of their rights, roles and responsibilities.
We are here to emphasise that no individual should be denied the opportunity to realise their potential, hence our appeal to all stakeholders to be more supportive, proactive and sensitive to gender matters.
The overall achievements of NYSC in its efforts at reducing the incidences of Gender Based Violence in rural communities cannot be overemphasised.
“Through the relevant CDS groups, the Scheme has facilitated the formation of Gender Clubs in schools in addition to providing links to victims of gender abuse through the GBV toll-free line of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.”
While assuring that the scheme would continue to work with the relevant stakeholders towards the success of gender mainstreaming in the country, Nafiu appealed for the needed support in the war against GBV.
On her remark, a student representative, Hafsat Yusuf, noted that they have been taught how to speak out and report any form of abuse to the security agencies.
She expressed confidence that “I will share the knowledge gained with my friends in school and at home.”
