Wives of Legislators Engage in Strategic Advocacy for Religious Tolerance in Gombe State
By Muhammad Jamil Abubakar
A non governmental organization TEKAN Peace Desk has organized a strategic advocacy meeting in Gombe State, bringing together wives of legislators to discuss their role as positive influencers for religious tolerance and human rights protection.
The event was organized by Faith for peace project (F4P) CO-funded by the European Union and Bread for the world in collaboration with TEKAN Peace Desk in Gombe state and Center for Community Action for Peace Development in Nasarawa State.
Speaking during the event, the co-ordinator TEKAN Peace Desk Jos, Helen Philomena Hagai said the wives of the legislators have a powerful voice in our communities.
She said by “equipping them with knowledge and strategies to promote religious tolerance and human rights, we can create a ripple effect of positive change throughout Gombe State.”
Helen Hagai said this initiative is part of a broader effort to promote peace and stability in Gombe State and the wider region, recognizing the critical role that women play in shaping societal values and norms.
Presenting a paper titled “The role of women as advocate on religious freedom, challenges and prospect” the Chairperson International Federation of Women Lawyers Gombe State Sa’adatu Isahaya Bome said the aim of the engagement is to leverage the unique position of the wife of the legislators to promote peace and understanding across different faith communities in the state.
Sa’adatu Isahaya who is also the permanent secretary Gombe State Ministry of Women Affairs said the event focuses on empowering the wives of legislators to become champions for religious harmony and human rights in their communities.
Several participants shared their experiences and ideas during the event including Wife of the deputy speaker Gombe State House of Assembly Maryam Bashir and Marina Zubairu Ayala wife of member representing shongom saying the meeting has opened their eyes to the crucial role women can play in fostering understanding between different religious groups.
They expressed hope that this initiative will lead to tangible improvements in interfaith relations and human rights protection across the state.
The advocacy meeting also included workshops on effective communication techniques and community engagement strategies.
Participants developed action plans to implement in their respective constituencies, focusing on grassroots initiatives to promote religious tolerance and human rights awareness.
The meeting concluded with a commitment from the participants to continue their collaboration and to report back on their progress in the coming months.
TEKAN Peace Desk is an initiative that empowers local actors to promote peace building, human rights, democracy and religious tolerance in Nigeria.
It started in April 2023 and will end in October 2025.
