BY NONYELUM JULIET EKWENUGO
Kaduna
As part of its effort in promoting peace stability and social cohesion in vulnerable communities, a non-governmental organization, Global Peace Development with support from International Alert has sensitised community leaders of Maraban Rido and their members on conflict-sensitivity.
The project officer, GPD, Yusuf Yashioh Baba during the sensitization exercise on promoting, stability, access to justice, and accountability in Maraban Rido, Chikun LGA of Kaduna State on Saturday with the theme: Inclusive Dialogue on Access to Justice, SGBV and Harmful Practices explained that the project aimed at increasing participants knowledge on dialogue and mediation.
According to him, GPD and International Alert is building the capacity of the vulnerable on the importance of dialogue in their various communities.
“Our objective is to constructively engage community leaders on conflict resolution, to increase their knowledge on dialogue. To also strengthen the community on Sexual and Gender Based-Violence (SGBV) cases and other criminality in the community”.
He however, explained that when people are empowered they would be able to solve some of the issues in their communities, instead of taking them to court or police, he said.
He tasked the participants to step down the training in their various communities/wards so that people will understand the benefits of dialogue, he added.
“We expect participants to step down the training to their various communities, for people to understand the importance of dialogue in the community. We also want them to educate more people in order to increase access to justice for vulnerable people and survivors of SGBV. If people understand the importance of dialogue, there will be peace and conflict will be reduced”.
Baba urged the community members to speak out on the issues of SGBV in order to help the survivors get justice.
The village head of Maraban Rido Kudansa, Kujama district, Auta Alkali urge the community members to be peace ambassadors.
He also thanked Global Peace Development and International Alert for bringing the awareness to Maraban Rido.
The Public Relations Officer, (PRO) Kudansa community, Yahuza Dahiru and the general provost, Abubakar Sadam said that since the coming of GPD in Maraban Rido the issues of conflict has reduced, especially farmers/herders clashes, they said.
On her part, the Women Leader, Maraban Rido, Juliana Emmanuel also commended GPD and IA, saying that the training brought positive changes to Maraban Rido.
