FIDA Urges Traditional Leaders In Plateau To Protect Women And Girls’ Rights
The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria has called on traditional and cultural leaders in Plateau State to champion the rights of women and girls by actively working to prevent gender-based violence (GBV) in their communities.
The appeal was made by Eliana Martins, FIDA Nigeria’s Country Vice President and National President, during a two-day Annual Dialogue with the Plateau State Council of Traditional Leaders in Jos. The event, supported by the Ford Foundation, focused on fostering collaboration to review and implement policies that curb violence against women and girls.
Martins emphasized that cultural norms and discriminatory traditions continue to perpetuate the subjugation of women and girls in many Nigerian communities. She noted that economic and social barriers often deprive women of resource control and inheritance rights, reinforcing patriarchal dominance.
“The escalating violence against women and girls is driven by a mix of cultural, economic, political, and societal factors,” Martins stated. “Some traditions treat women as second-class citizens or even as property. It is crucial to shift attitudinal behaviors and abandon harmful social norms that fuel these injustices.”
She urged traditional rulers to leverage their deep understanding of local customs to challenge harmful practices and institutionalize GBV prevention structures within their communities.
The event featured group discussions, presentations, and plenary sessions, where participants identified harmful practices such as child marriage, sexual violence, and physical abuse.
Speaking on the drivers of gender-based violence, Olivia Dazyam, Acting Chairperson of the Plateau State Gender and Equal Opportunities Commission, highlighted the importance of recognizing and eliminating such harmful customs.
FIDA’s Senior Manager, Programme, Partnerships, and Operations, Fikih Obaro, encouraged community leaders to develop local-led solutions and share best practices that can be adopted across different regions.
At the end of the dialogue, traditional leaders committed to acting as change agents by promoting policies and practices that protect women’s rights and prevent gender-based violence in Plateau State.
