FOMWAN urges rape victims to break silence culture

Federation of Muslim Women’s Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN) has expressed worry over the high incidences of rape, child abuse and violence against women and girls, especially minors.

The group said this has continued unabated due to the culture of silence on the part of victims or their parents, and the slow legal and judicial process of bringing the culprits to book.

FOMWAN stated this in a communique issued at the end of its NEC meeting and training programme held in Abuja.

“FOMWAN advocates with the Judiciary to facilitate the enforcement of existing legal provisions and initiating such where there is none to address the issue of rape and other forms of violation against women and girls,” it said.

The Muslim women appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency on the state of almajiri children in Nigeria to take them off the streets.

“A system which throws out its vulnerable children on the streets to fend for themselves as early as age five is inimical to the educational and healthy development of these children,” it said.

FOMWAN also called for the provision of gender-sensitive toilets in public places while communities should be encouraged to build toilets to reduce to the barest minimum preventable deaths of minors. FOMWAN noted with great concern that girls constitute 60% of the total number of out-of-school children in Nigeria.

The group, therefore, expressed willingness to partner with traditional and religious leaders to improve access to basic education for girls.