Gombe State Deputy Governor, Manasseh Jatau, says the high incidences of gender-based violence, including rape, is due to fetish purposes.

Jatau spoke while receiving the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation team in his office on a courtesy visit.

He decried the increasing rate of violence against women and girls, and advised that authorities should beyond drugs when trying to ascertain the root cause.

“Consider the involvement and the role of marabout’s who, in their fetish practices, may make people indulge in rape, abduction, and even killing of people in the name of proffering solutions to their problems,” he said.

While addressing the issues of inequality around women, Jatau said, “The government has placed more emphasis on capacity building through training and skills acquisition for women and youths so that they could be self-reliant and be on their own.

“This administration attaches so much importance to health and education, especially of the female folk, consideration the role they are expected to play in the society.”

He lamented the effect of population explosion against static and dwindling resources, stressing that, “even though there may be religious restrictions to population control, people must consider it as a matter of necessity.

On his part, Special Adviser on Budget, Planning and Development Partners Coordination Office, Dr. Ishiyaku Mohammed, said his office, Ministries of Information, Women Affairs, and Education had been engaging UNESCO since April in partnership for the good of the state.

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Also speaking, UNESCO Team Leader, Aneneh Magdalene, explained that the project Empowering of Women and Girls in Marginalised Communities for better wellbeing through UNESCO, with support from the government of Japan being implemented across three states, including Gombe, would provide second chance education opportunities.

She said, “Incorporate training on COVID-19 preventive measures to women and girls particularly adolescents at risk of dropping out of school and young women facing marginalization in Bauchi, Delta and Gombe States.

“The objectives also include; to strengthen institutional capacity in the mentioned states to manage the planning, implementation, monitoring, and education of post basic literacy programs at state and local government levels.”

According to her, the project would pilot the effects of psychological rehabilitation, and build the capacity of community media on balanced reportage, educate and advocate for the rights of women and girls on gender-based violence, COVID-19 prevention, violent extremism, and hate speech, etc.

“As well as increase knowledge and respect of existing rights of women and girls among stakeholders including the targeted population of men and boys, community and religious leaders, traditional rulers, media, policy makers, security and medical personnel,” she added.