By Queen Kunde
The Wives of FCT Traditional Rulers have launched a united community push to end early marriage, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), and discrimination across the nation’s capital.
On Saturday, November 22, 2025, the Association of Wives of FCT Traditional Rulers (WOFCTTRA) convened a major joint town hall meeting for Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) and Bwari Area Council. The gathering brought together traditional rulers, community leaders, women’s groups, youth, and religious leaders in a renewed fight to protect women, girls, and vulnerable groups.
President of WOFCTTRA and Wife of the Ona of Abaji, HRH Ambassador Hauwa Ibrahim Adamu, said traditional justice systems must remain central to peacebuilding and community-level justice. She urged collective action to secure safe spaces for women and girls.
“Our daughters deserve to grow and thrive without fear of early marriage or abuse. Fairness and dignity must guide justice in our land,” she said.
The meeting also gave room for strong voices from advocacy groups. Founder of the Dorathy Njemanze Foundation, Dorathy Njemanze, condemned the persistent stigmatization of young girls who report sexual abuse, stressing that the culture of blaming victims must end.
“When victims speak up, society blames them instead of punishing perpetrators. This must stop,” she said, adding that both boys and girls suffer abuse, though girls remain more vulnerable.
From the Tabitha Empowerment Centre, Barr. Gladys Emmanuel highlighted increasing cases of digital violence, financial scams targeting women, sextortion, cyberbullying, and widespread digital illiteracy—especially in rural communities. She commended the organisers for reigniting hope for safer communities.
She outlined immediate next steps, including establishing palace safety desks staffed with trained personnel, declaring digital violence unacceptable in all communities, and strengthening partnerships with civil society groups to sustain grassroots advocacy.
Participants also shared personal experiences of early marriage, abuse, and discrimination, seeking clarity on how community members can benefit from their rights and available protections. Many echoed calls for better parenting, collective vigilance, and respect for human dignity.
Stakeholders further raised concerns about rising but under-reported cases of sexual harassment and rape of men in the Federal Capital Territory, calling for urgent intervention.
The town hall attended by representatives of NCWS, FOMWAN, WOWICAN, youth groups, market women, and traditional and religious institutions ended with a collective pledge to continue the fight against early marriage, SGBV, and gender discrimination.
The event was supported by the MacArthur Foundation through CHRICED under the project aimed at strengthening traditional justice systems to combat SGBV, early child marriage, and gender discrimination in FCT communities.
A major highlight was the announcement of the official flag-off of the 2025 “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence,” scheduled for November 25 to December 10, with a strong call for action across all FCT communities.