By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
The Executive Director of Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development, Hajiya Hamsatu Allamin has appealed to security, state and non state actors to prioritize the existence of state government policy on the charter of demands of deradicalized women and girls, survivors and victims of Boko Haram insurgency who have been silence over their plights.
Hajiya Allamin also urged the stakeholders to impress on their leaders to support the requests of the helpless and voiceless groups of women and girls in the society .
She made the call on Saturday at the end of a 2-day training workshop held in Maiduguri for security, state and non state actors with a view to identify and get feedbacks from the participants on the policy implementation of the charter of demands of the deradicalized women and girls, survivors and victims of insurgency
Hamsatu also said that there is the fear of increase stigmatization , harassment, unemployment , lack of skills and entrepreneurial opportunities unlawful arrest and detention by security agents , sexual violence and lack of education and healthcare facilities for the deradicalized women and girls which is becoming a major concern.
She explained further that some of the deradicalized Boko Haram women and girls, victims, and survivors have been facing rejection and maltreatment from their family members and friends as well as important people in their communities.
According to her, the victims, survivors, and deradicalized women often internalise the stigma they experience and begin to develop a negative self-image.
“Stigma is one of the main remaining barriers in reintegration of deradicalized women and children, it is caused by misinformation about what is really happening with those victims.
“But as a foundation, we are trying to see that we help government and other stakeholders in creating awareness about our sisters who fled from forest to join the communities, we are working with security agencies like Army, police, civil defence and others to see Borno people have the needed peace
“We are working with ministry of Women’s Affairs and Borno Ministry of Justice in order to ensure transitional justice, and those people do not deserve to be stigmatize, some of them are victims.
“We have victims and survivors of insurgency, as the victims, you know Allamin Foundation has different categories of victims and survivors, we have the Njire Dole Network for mothers of victims of disappearance, victims of wives of those who disappeared, we have the network of former detainees, men, and women including minors,” Hamsatu said.
She however enjoined he media to create awareness about the negative effects of stigmatization, adding that “media plays a major role in dissemination and publicity of information”.
Hajiya Hamsatu assured that all the suggestions and recommendations would be properly collated and presented for proper policy implementation by the government.
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