A university Lecturer, Dr Mansur Isa-Buhari, has counselled parents and guardians to provide equal and uniform educational and other livelihoods support to girls and boys in the society.
Isa-Buhari, of the Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto, cautioned parents against discriminatory attitudes and behaviours towards the female gender in the society.
He made the call on Saturday at the training of 75 community and religious leaders on promoting gender equitable norms in Binji Local Government Area of Sokoto state.
The training is organized by Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development (SFPD) with the support from EU-UN Spotlight Initiative Project.
He described the discriminatory attitudes as detrimental to women and girls, especially in relation to domestic duties and education.
Isa-Buhari explained that gender equity norms and values are strategies and measures taken in the process of being fair to women and men.
”This is especially in view of women’s historical and social disadvantages preventing both sexes from operating on a level-playing field,” he said.
He dwelt on different forms of violence against women and girls from psychological, verbal, physical, emotional and economic happenings in our societies.
He explained the categories of gender-based violence, its prevalence, the consequences, policies and laws, as well as referral pathways.
Isa-Buhari underscored the importance of educating people, especially men who are husbands and custodians of family members on gender-equity norms and best ways to handle cases of gender-based violence cases.
Earlier, the SFPD Programme Officer Alhaji Musa Galadanci, called on community and religious leaders to promote gender equitable norms in the communities.
Galadanci said the training was organised to inculcate proper messaging skills and encourage men to educate people on the norms.
He said it was aimed at preventing all forms of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV), and other Harmful Practices (HP).
According to him, the training provided an opportunity for participants to share thoughts on gender equity norms as well as actions needed to reduce violence against women and girls, drawing inferences from the various communities within the area.
A cross section of participants emphasized the need to strengthen mutual coexistence, marital livings and always emulate the best Islamic lifestyles taught by Prophet Muhammad in traditions on family living.
During interactive and question and answers session, participants enjoined husbands against humiliating their wives in front of their children, which would go long way in shaping children’s attitudes.
