GBV: Stakeholders Want Bauchi Govt To Provide Budget Line For Gender
Group photograph of participants at the roundtable discussion organized by State2State Activity in commemoration of 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence. Photo: Murtala Muhammad
By Murtala Muhammad
Participants at a roundtable discussion in commemoration of 2023 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence (GBV) in Bauchi State have advocated provision of Budget line in relevant government Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) to fund Gender issues.
They have also called for timely release of funds budgeted for Gender in the ministry of Women Affairs and Child Development for use towards conducting activities that has to do with GBV to reduce over dependence on donor partners.
These according to the participants would pave the way for the state government to take ownership of the activities and achieve its sustainability plan.
The participants unanimously agreed that budgetary provision for gender issues in the MDAs would enable them carry out activities independently especially the ones that concerns addressing GBV.
The Roundtable discussion, organized by the USAID funded State Accountability, Transparency and Effectiveness (State2State) Activity Bauchi Field Office drew participants from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, the Media, Civil Society Organisations among others.
Earlier speaking, the State Team Lead, State2State Activity Bauchi Field Office, Mrs Rabi Ekele said Gender and Social Inclusion is one of the priority areas of the Activity, emphasized the need for all stakeholders to work together to break all the barriers hindering its actualisation.
Mrs Ekele also noted that issues of GBV in the society was everybody’s business, hence the need for more collaboration with individuals, groups, organizations and other partners to end the menace.
On her part, the Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI) Coordinator of State2State Activity, Ms Chabiyada Eli said the aim was to reawaken the government on its responsibility in the fight against Gender Based Violence as it regards especially to budgeting towards achieving same.
Ms Eli said that the state government should not only be responsive on GBV issues but put the needed mechanism in place towards preventing it and other related social problems.
According to her, there was also the need for the state to invest more in relevant MDAs by providing a budget line where there is none, to enable them run sensitisation programmes on Radio, television and other platforms for people to be aware of the issue at stake.
She emphasized that the state should work extra mile to achieve its sustainability plan on carrying out programmes that are geared towards curbing GBV even after the close out of foreign donors’ intervention.
