Sokoto State Governor Ahmad Aliyu has promised that his administration will uphold the successes of the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative Project and advance efforts to protect women and girls in the community.The guarantee was given on Saturday in Sokoto during the project's closeout and handover ceremony, which was attended by Aliyu's Chief of Staff, Alhaji Aminu Dikko.
The achievements that showed the living conditions of women and girls as well as the state of community activity that led to an increase in incidents of gender-based violence (GBV), particularly in rural regions, were praised by him.
According to Aliyu, the project's successes highlighted the potential of women and girls as well as the state's conventions, deprivation zones, and culture of silence.
In light of the activities' significance for the development of women and girls, he guaranteed that the state government, through its appropriate agencies, would capitalize on the performance and upscale the programs.
In order to support state government as much as possible with the appropriate dedication, Aliyu urged formed formations, response teams, law enforcement agencies, and groups.
The Permanent Secretary, Hajia Aisha Dantsoho, on behalf of the State Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Hajia Hadiza Shagari, stated, "The journey has been a very tedious, however, recorded several successes."
Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, also spoke during his speech. He urged the stakeholders to maintain the momentum and characterized the initiative as a help to the community.
The Violence Against Persons Protection (VAPP) statute and the Child Protection statute, according to Abubakar, who was represented by Prof. Sambu Wali-Junaid of Wazirin Sokoto, were established in accordance with the state's religious and cultural norms.
He gave the assurance that the endeavor to safeguard people's lives, particularly the welfare of women and girls, will continue to have the backing of the traditional rulers.
Prior to this, Mr. Ibrahim Sesay, UNICEF's Chief Child Protection Officer, stated that in light of advancements regarding GBV concerns, more work needed to be done to enhance residents' quality of life.
According to Sesay, the project began in Sokoto State as a UN initiative with financial assistance from the European Union (EU).