Gombe ACReSAL train stakeholders to curb Gender-Based Violence

From Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe

The Gombe State Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project has commenced a three-day capacity-building programme aimed at strengthening stakeholder response to Gender-Based Violence (GBV), as part of the state government’s push to mainstream justice, equity, and social protection into development interventions.

The training, which brought together government officials, security agencies, traditional rulers, civil society actors, and representatives of vulnerable groups, was designed to enhance prevention strategies and institutional response mechanisms to GBV across communities in the state.

Declaring the programme open, the Commissioner for Water, Environment and Forest Resources, Mohammed Saidu Fawu, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Abubakar Bello Kumo, stated that sustainable environmental and socio-economic investments cannot deliver impact in the absence of justice, equity, and human dignity. He stressed that GBV undermines development outcomes and erodes public trust in governance structures.

Fawu commended Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for providing strong political leadership by assenting to laws that criminalise gender-based violence in Gombe State. According to him, the administration has gone beyond legislation by ensuring concrete support systems for victims, including access to legal representation, medical examinations, and hospital care, thereby shifting the state’s GBV response from rhetoric to execution.

In his remarks, the National Project Coordinator of ACReSAL, Abdulhamid Umar, represented by Barrister Hajara Adamu, reaffirmed the project’s commitment to human rights, social inclusion, and community-driven development. He noted that addressing GBV is integral to ACReSAL’s broader mandate of building climate resilience, as violence and exclusion weaken community cohesion and adaptive capacity.

Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to the Gombe state governor on Security, Abubakar Aminu Musa, warned that GBV has direct implications for security and social stability. On her part, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Asma’u Mohammed Iganus, described GBV as a major barrier to women’s participation and productivity.

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Barnabas Malle, and the Senior District Head of Gombe echoed similar views, linking GBV to reduced economic output and social injustice.

Earlier, the State ACReSAL Project Coordinator, Dr. Sani Jauro, explained that the training is structured to equip stakeholders with practical skills to prevent GBV, improve reporting, and strengthen coordinated response frameworks at the community level.

Traditional leaders and representatives of persons with disabilities at the event pledged their commitment to inclusive, community-based solutions, signaling a unified front against gender-based violence in Gombe State.