NYSC fighting against gender based violence, says DG

The Director General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Brig:-Gen. Yushau Ahmed, says the scheme is one of the foremost organisations fighting against Gender Based Violence (GBV) and inequality in the country.

The director general who stated this on Tuesday during the Nationwide Grassroot Gender Sensitisation and Advocacy Campaign in Rural Communities in Bauchi, said the scheme had been waging war against GBV through its Corps Gender Vanguards.

Represented by the Bauchi state Coordinator of NYSC, Mrs Rifkatu Yakubu, the director general explained that the Vanguards had been equipped with necessary skills to carry out awareness campaigns and support activities in rural communities.

Ahmed, who explained that the sensitisation programme was taking place simultaneously in all the Northern states, revealed that the corps vanguards had also helped in the formation of Gender Clubs in schools.

According to him, these gender clubs have been able to provide linkages to victims of gender abuse through the GBV toll free line, 08031230651, provided by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.

He assured that NYSC would continue to work with relevant stakeholders toward the success of gender mainstreaming in the country and appealed to Nigerians to support the NYSC Gender Vanguard through the provision of enabling environment for greater impact.

“While gender issues are often misconstrued as affecting females alone, it is important to point out that they include matters of interest to both sexes, including rights and responsibilities.

“This informed the choice of the theme Gender Equality, Respect all and it is important to remind all and sundry that GBV is not only physical and psychological but also constitutes abuse of the fundamental human right of the victims.

“Consequently, all hands must be on deck to fight this ill that is ravaging the society, especially among the rural dwellers,” he said.

Earlier, Mr Aroni Sunday, the Head, Reforms Unit, NYSC Headquarters, said that the programme could not have come at better time than now when the world is clamoring for protection of human rights.

Represented by Alh. Aminu Ibrahim, Assistant Director, Deployment and Relocation, NYSC Bauchi, he appreciated the management of NYSC for being passionate on issues of gender inequality that necessitated the conduct of the sensitisation.

“I wish to specially appreciate the Director-General for expressly granting approval for this event despite other competing demands for scarce resources,” he said.