NGO urges men to join fight against gender-based violence

The Kozaki Transformation and Development Foundation, Gboko, Benue State, has called on Nigerians to expose perpetrators of gender-based violence as part of efforts to foster unity, peace, and national development.

The foundation’s Communication Officer, Mr Akirghir Caleb, made the appeal on Tuesday in Akwanga, Nasarawa State, during a stakeholders’ engagement meeting of the Male Feminists Network themed “Promoting Male Engagement in Support of Ending Gender-Based Violence in Benue, Nasarawa, and Plateau.”

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the meeting was organised in partnership with the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development, with support from the Ford Foundation.

Caleb said the Male Feminists Network, a Nigerian-led initiative, seeks to recruit, train, and mobilise men to actively participate in ending GBV and advancing gender equality.

He explained that the network aims to expand male allyship by transforming men from silent bystanders into active partners in dismantling patriarchal systems that sustain inequality.

“Let’s go out to voice out and speak against GBV. Let’s change the narrative positively for unity, peace, and societal development,” Caleb urged.

Also speaking, the Programme Manager of the Foundation, Mr Akpen Manfred, encouraged stakeholders to educate their communities against GBV while promoting women’s rights.

Let’s all protect and promote women’s rights anywhere we find ourselves. Don’t deny women their rights. Let’s voice and speak out for women,” he said, calling for greater collaboration to eradicate GBV.

Earlier, the Executive Director of the Foundation, Rev. Fr. Isaiah Ter, represented by Rev. Fr. Jude Maigari of the Justice Development and Peace Foundation, Lafia, stressed that the MFN is designed to engage men as allies in the struggle against harmful patriarchal norms.

“The stakeholder meeting is an invitation to a shared vision of a society where daughters can walk free of fear, where women’s voices are heard in decision-making, and where men and women stand side by side as partners in building peace and progress,” he said.

The meeting brought together traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society representatives, government officials, academics, and members of the Motorcycle Association, among others.

report on Monday that the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, had also thrown his weight behind a proposal to convene a national roundtable of religious leaders aimed at boosting advocacy for girls’ education and tackling gender-based violence in Nigeria.

The Sultan gave his endorsement during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the Development Research and Projects Centre to his palace in Sokoto.

The initiative, inspired by the global Religions for Peace interfaith summit where the Sultan serves as Co-President, seeks to rally faith leaders around a shared agenda of protecting women and girls.

NAN