As Kogi State prepares for the November 16th governorship election, Muslims women across the 21 local government areas has pledged their support towards putting an end to violence against women in politics (VAWIP).
The Amirah, Federation of Muslim Women Associations of Nigeria (FONWAN) Kogi State chapter, Hajia Lami Saratu Lawal made the pledge when the executive director, Challenge Parenthood initiative (CPI), Eunice Abimbola Agbogun and her team paid an advocacy visit to the association on the need to end violence against women during election.
Represented by Vice Amirah, Hajia Falilat Razak, she said Muslims women in the state acknowledge the importance of election which will help to elect a leader that will move the state towards the path of development.
She added that FOMWAN is committed to fighting the cause towards advancing the nation’s democracy.
While assuring her visitors that FOMWAN would help to spread the gospel of a violence free election come November, the Muslim women group however raised concern that the last general election in the state was marred with intimidation, harassment of women, ballot box snatching and thuggery.
She said the advocacy visit was however timely, as it will help to sensitize the populace that election is not war or fight but a forum which should be conducted in a conducive, transparent, free and fair atmosphere.
Earlier in her remarks, Agbogun told the gathering that the sensitization program was done in collaboration with the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and funded by USAID and UKAID.
Agbogun, while lauding the association for their contribution in national development, said the ‘stop violence against women in politics’ (Stop-VAWIP) campaign is an initiative that seeks to establish the link between gender based electoral violence and the low level of participation of women in politics.
“Its overall goal is to mitigate violence against Women during election and encourage women to actively participate in politics,” she noted.
She said during election, women come out en-mass to vote but has not translated such to occupying various elective positions.
She averred that violence against women in politics (VAWIP) has been a major threat and main reason why women has failed to participate during election processes, just as she corroborated the positions of FOMWAN that women are the worst hit during elections with intimidation and character assassination when they are vying for political offices.
She said CPI has open a survival centre ahead of the governorship election as they have embarked on a radical campaign to secure the freedom of women in the society.
