Nasarawa Assembly Partners NAPTIP to Combat Child Labour, Women Trafficking, Violence Against Vulnerable Groups
In a significant move to address pervasive societal ills, the Nasarawa State House of Assembly has pledged robust partnership with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to eradicate all forms of violence, child labour, human trafficking, and other abuses targeting women and children across the state.
This commitment emerged during a high-level interface on Monday at the office of Dr. Hajarat Danyaro Ibrahim, the assembly’s sole female lawmaker, in Lafia, the state capital, where she hosted Hajiya Sa’adatu Galadima, the State Commandant of NAPTIP.
The timely engagement, held in commemoration of International Women’s Day under the theme “Give and Gain,” spotlighted critical challenges such as out-of-school children, early marriages, prostitution, and widespread rights violations, underscoring the urgent need for collaborative interventions to safeguard the most vulnerable in society.
Dr. Danyaro, who represents the Kokona East constituency, lamented the alarming rate at which women and children suffer exploitation and abuse, calling for unified action from all stakeholders to dismantle these menaces. She highlighted Nasarawa’s relatively low trafficking incidence as a foundation for proactive measures, urging women to acquire vocational skills as a bulwark against poverty, which often fuels such vices, and reaffirmed the assembly’s dedication to supporting NAPTIP through legislative backing, including a bill she is personally sponsoring to strengthen protections.
Hajiya Sa’adatu Galadima, the State Commandant of NAPTIP, (R) and Hon. Dr. Hajarat Danyaro Ibrahim, Nasarawa State House of Assembly member representing Nasarawa Central Constituency (L)
Hajiya Sa’adatu Galadima, in her remarks, described the visit as a strategic outreach to foster synergy with female legislators like Dr. Danyaro in the unyielding battle against gender-based violence and child exploitation, aligning perfectly with the global Women’s Day celebrations that honour women’s triumphs while confronting their enduring struggles.
She enumerated key issues plaguing Nasarawa and beyond, including child labour, early marriages, educational exclusion of girls, forced prostitution, and sundry abuses that rob the young and female population of their dignity and future prospects.
Beyond advocacy for heightened female participation in politics to amplify voices at decision-making tables, the NAPTIP boss championed girl-child education, professional training for women in diverse fields, and holistic empowerment programmes as essential antidotes to these societal scourges.
The interface, which drew commendations for its focus and promise of tangible outcomes, signals a renewed offensive against human trafficking and related crimes in Nasarawa, with Dr. Danyaro’s office emerging as a pivotal hub for such advocacies.
