SFH, Police promotes gender equality, women empowerment

The Nigerian Police has reiterated its efforts in the promotion of gender equality and women empowerment in the country.

This was revealed by the Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Auwal Musa Mohammed at the opening ceremony of a 3-day training workshop on gender, sexual diversity and health organized by the Society for Family Health on Monday in Bauchi.

The Police Commissioner who frowned at gender discrimination and inequalities said gender discrimination and inequalities are not new concepts but that their pervasiveness has brought them to international focus.

He added that the police force as an institution is a major stakeholder in promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women, guided by its mandate to maintain peace and uphold fundamental rights to freedom.

According to him, “The Gender Policy for the Nigeria Police Force is formulated within the framework of the Nigerian Constitution which guarantees equality and the right to freedom from discrimination.

Additionally, it aligns with various global, regional and national policy commitments to gender equality and women empowerment, including CEDAW, the Beijing Platform of Action, the MDGs, The Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA), The African Charter and its Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa for Gender Equality, and the Nigerian National Gender Policy, among others.”

The Commissioner of Police further explained that the policy declaration presents the Nigeria Police Force as recognizing the negative impacts of gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and other forms of gender-based violence in society.

Mohammed explained that likewise, the Bauchi State Police Command under his control is making significant progress in fighting against gender-based violence.

“The Gender Unit of the Command has recorded one hundred and fifty-one(151) reported cases of Gender-based violence in 2022, with a total of two hundred and seven(207) suspects arrested and charged to court for prosecution.

“Similarly, in 2023, the Unit recorded one hundred and twenty-six (126) cases, with a total of one hundred and eighty-six (186) suspects arrested and charged to court for prosecution.

These statistics indicate the steadfastness of the command in reducing gender-based violence in the state to the barest possible extent”, adding that offenders are deemed as societal menace and that their undesirable behaviours would not be tolerated.

He pointed out that every individual deserves safety and respect, but that the scourge of rape and defilement.

The police boss solicited that ending rape and defilement requires a concerted effort from all sectors of society, which he insists “requires us to speak out against injustice, support and protect survivors, and work towards a future where every individual is free from the treat of sexual harassment and violence.” He described the training as timely and well intended for the officers who participated in the training.

Also speaking, the Zonal Commander of Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) Zone B, Idris Mohammed Bello thanked the Society for Family Health for its commitment on confront the HIV menace over the years and the benefits therein.

The NDLEA boss expressed his belief that participants will leave the training better equipped to stem the problem due to the increased knowledge they will acquire from the training.

Bello also informed that this was the second time he would be attending the Society for Family Health sensitization training for officers with his strong belief that the participants will live with the takeaway and even impact the knowledge on others.

Earlier speaking, Chief of Party, KP-CARE2 of the SFH, Abdulsamad Salihu who represented the Managing Director of the Society for Family Health, Dr. Omokhudu Idogho thanked the law enforcement agencies for its commitment to its partnership with his organization.

He disclosed that the officers have been part and parcel of the organization’s activities especially as it relates to public health programming, HIV and AIDS service implementation and extraordinary general security provisions.

“It is with no doubt that our gallant and prestigious law enforcement personnel are through considerable tests of their resolve by the significant increase in criminal activities on the country, especially because of the challenges with poverty, inflation, banditry and insurgency

The SFH CEO concluded that, “we also know that over 200 million Nigerians rely on the law enforcement agencies for their security and livelihoods, many of which are also supported by SFH.”