NRC, CSOs on women, girls rights to land, others in Northeast
By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has tasked journalists and civil society organisations (CSOs) on harmful traditional practices that deny women and girls the right to own houses, land, and property (HLP) in the Northeast.
According to the Council, access and ownership of HLP will entrench the rights of women and girls that were denied by the traditional practices for several decades.
Unveiling the harmful practices yesterday in Maiduguri at a two-day workshop, NRC Country Director and Communication Manager, Sabiu Suleiman, disclosed, “It’s unfair to deny women and girls, who are vulnerable in the various communities affected by conflict and other natural disasters, like floods, which displaced over 3.45 million people in Borno, Adamawa, and Plateau states.”
He noted that the traditional harmful practices against women and girls in society have denied them the right to own houses, land, and other property in communities.
Additionally, Suleiman said that the vulnerable groups in internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps and host communities have the rights to own houses, land, and other property.
He reiterated that the ownership of property, including land, could also protect women’s rights for both shelter and livelihoods in their communities.
He, therefore, urged youths and communities, traditional and religious leaders, to influence and end various traditional harmful practices that had been affecting women and girls own houses, land, and other property.
“Ownership of houses, land, and other property by women and girls is a fundamental right to live in a decent society with dignity,” said the NRC Country Director.
He, therefore, urged the CSOs and other stakeholders to advocate for the entrenchment of the rights of women and girls to own HLP.
Suleiman continued: “We sought your support and cooperation to promote awareness with a collective action against the traditional harmful practices of owning houses and land among women and girls in the north.”
He added that the advocacy for women’s rights will ensure the rights of women and girls are protected in society.
In their remarks, the Borno State Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abdulkareem Haruna, and Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, NUJ, Inusa Marama, and Executive Director, Global Environmental Responds Initiative (GERI), Amaji Dogo, commended the NRC for organising the workshop on women’s and girls’ rights to own HLD.
The trio pledged to partner with the NRC to ensure that women and girls rights are protected in society.
