Amb. Ahmed Bamalli, Emir of Zazzau, has renewed commitment of the emirate council to stand against abuse, bullying, molestation and other forms of Gender Based Violence (GBV).

Bamalli made the pledge when he received delegations from Gender Awareness Trust Fund and Gender and Constitution Reforms Network at his palace in Zaria on Friday.

The Emir said he would also champion women’s empowerment initiatives as part of the efforts to end violence in the area.

He said: “As leaders in the community, it is our responsibility to be at the forefront to advocate for empowerment of women’s literacy level, wellbeing and stand firm against injustice.

“I am a father of girls; I have four girls and one boy, I am very sensitive about gender issues, I know what it means to fight for the menace of gender based violence in society.

UK reports another 10,476 Coronavirus cases

“As you rightly said, there are many victims of gender based violence who don’t say anything when it happens to them; it is despicable and unacceptable to our society.

“No religion or any decent society can condone this kind of criminality of gender violence and no culture permits men to molest or dehumanise women,’’ he said

The royal father assured the association of his collaboration, saying he would synergise with them at any point they require his attention.

Earlier, Dr Lidia Umar, Northwest Coordinator of the Network said they were at the palace to seek for the buy-in and support of the royal father.

Umar said that traditional institutions were one of their critical stakeholders, therefore, wanted the emir to amplify their message on GBV as the phenomenon was common in Internally Displaced Persons camps in northwest.

She lamented that the region had one of the highest incidence of sexual and gender based violence and abuses as Kaduna state alone recorded 244 cases in the last three months.

She urged the government and other key stakeholders to leverage on Violence Against People Prohibition Act of the state, Kaduna State Child Welfare Protection Law and other legal instruments to ensure that perpetrators are punished.