FCT Queens Lead Charge Against Early Marriage, Gender Violence, Rally Stakeholders at Gwagwalada, Kuje Town Hall Meeting.
By Raymond Enoch
In a bold move to combat early marriage, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), and discrimination, the Association of Wives of FCT Traditional Rulers (WOFCTTRA) has mobilized community leaders and stakeholders for united action in Gwagwalada and Kuje Area Councils.
At a landmark joint town hall meeting held on Wednesday, traditional rulers, women’s groups, youth leaders, and religious figures gathered to confront harmful practices threatening women, girls, and other vulnerable groups.
Declaring the meeting open, the Aguma of Gwagwalada and Chairman of the Gwagwalada Traditional Rulers Council, Alhaji Mohammed Magaji, hailed the initiative as a turning point for grassroots justice and protection.
“We are truly grateful for the tireless efforts of our Queens. Their interventions have significantly reduced gender-based violence across our communities,” he said, pledging full support for the initiative supported by the MacArthur Foundation and implemented by the Resource Center for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED).
In her welcome address, HRH Haj. Aisha Mohammed Magaji, Vice President of WOFCTTRA, underscored the role of traditional justice systems in community peace and equitable justice delivery.
“Let us work together to ensure our daughters grow free from the fear of early marriage, and that dignity and fairness define justice in our land,” she urged.
The meeting served as a platform for powerful testimonies and urgent calls to action. Dorcas Edet of the Dorathy Njemanze Foundation decried the persistent stigmatization of girls who report sexual assault.
“Society continues to blame victims instead of holding perpetrators accountable. This must stop,” she said.
Voices from the grassroots added to the chorus. Mrs. Sarauniya Erondu, President of the Market Women Association, Jessa Felicia of Jessa’s Widows Foundation, and Reverend Dangana Mathew all called for responsible parenting, vigilance, and respect for human dignity as solutions5 to social ills.
The town hall also brought attention to an often-overlooked issue: the rising but under-reported cases of sexual abuse involving male victims in the FCT, prompting calls for broader awareness and targeted intervention.
The event drew wide participation from groups including the NCWS, FOMWAN, WOWICAN, market women, youth organizations, and religious and traditional institutions — all pledging to sustain the campaign against early marriage, SGBV, and gender inequality.
In a bold move to combat early marriage, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), and discrimination, the Association of Wives of FCT Traditional Rulers (WOFCTTRA) has mobilized community leaders and stakeholders for united action in Gwagwalada and Kuje Area Councils.
At a landmark joint town hall meeting held on Wednesday, traditio55nal rulers, women’s groups, youth leaders, and religious figures gathered to confront harmful practices threatening women, girls, and other vulnerable groups.
Declaring the meeting open, the Aguma of Gwagwalada and Chairman of the Gwagwalada Traditional Rulers Council, Alhaji Mohammed Magaji, hailed the initiative as a turning point for grassroots justice and protection.
“We are truly grateful for the tireless efforts of our Queens. Their interventions have significantly reduced gender-based violence across our communities,” he said, pledging full support for the initiative supported by the5 MacArthur Foundation and implemented by the Resource Center for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED).
In her welcome address, HRH Haj. Aisha Mohammed Magaji, Vice President of WOFCTTRA, underscored the role of traditional justice systems in community peace and equitable justice delivery.
“Let us work together to ensure our daughters grow free from the fear of early marriage, and that dignity and fairness define justice in our land,” she urged.
The meeting served as a platform for powerful testimonies and urgent calls to action. Dorcas Edet of the Dorathy Njemanze Foundation decried the persistent stigmatization of girls who report sexual assault.
“Society continues to blame victims instead of holding perpetrators accountable. This must stop,” she said.
Voices from the grassroots added to the chorus. Mrs. Sarauniya Erondu, President of the Market Women Association, Jessa Felicia of Jessa’s Widows Foundation, and Reverend Dangana Mathew all called for responsible parenting, vigilance, and respect for human dignity as solutions to social ills.
The town hall also brought attention to an often-overlooked issue: the rising but under-reported cases of sexual abuse involving male victims in the FCT, prompting calls for broader awareness and targeted intervention.
The event drew wide participation from groups including the NCWS, FOMWAN, WOWICAN, market women, youth organizations, and religious and traditional institutions — all pledging to sustain the campaign against early marriage, SGBV, and gender inequality.
