The Zamfara State Advocacy Teams (SAT) seek strong collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission to combat Gender-based Violence (GBV) and Gender Human Rights (GHR) issues, as well as to encourage outreach activities to address the prevalence of Tuberculosis (TB) in Zamfara State.
The declaration was jointly made during a visit by the State Advocacy Teams to the office of the National Human Rights Commission in Gusau, Zamfara State capital.
The main objective of the visit, according to the Deputy Coordinator of Zamfara State TB Network, Abdullahi Lawali Bungudu, was to establish and strengthen collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission and to seek its support for the effective implementation of the Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) integrated approach.
Lawali Bungudu, who further explained the need for collaboration, said the advocacy team aimed to foster a shared understanding of the project’s objectives, scope, and potential benefits among key stakeholders in the state.
Also speaking, the State Programme Officer (SPO), Yahaya Muhammad, outlined the objectives of the project and informed the State Coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission (SC-NHRC), Mr Abdullahi Abubakar, about the gender-based violence and gender human rights (GBV/GHR) outreach activities conducted by some community-based organisations (CBOs), which revealed significant human rights issues in the community.
The SPO sought the SC-NHRC’s attention to pay the most constitutionally needed attention to these violations with a view to achieving the eradication of TB cases, especially by encouraging the provision of high-quality medicine and protection of patients from stigma in society, as well as ensuring GBV and GHR are protected.
Making an explanation of the objectives of the project, the SPO said the TB Network in Zamfara (part of the Civil Society for the Eradication of Tuberculosis in Nigeria, or TB Network) is a coalition of NGOs and CSOs focused on achieving a TB-free Nigeria.
The SPO thanked the SC-NHRC for his insights regarding the highlighted issues and promised to equip his CBOs accordingly. The DSC-TB Network expressed appreciation for the commission’s engagement and emphasised the importance of collaboration moving forward.
“This visit is not only to strengthen the existing relationships but also to lay the groundwork for ongoing cooperation to effectively tackle public health challenges.
“The core objectives of the project are to coordinate civil society actions to increase access to high-quality and comprehensive tuberculosis services”, he added.
Responding, the State Coordinator of the NHRC, Abdullahi Abubakar, pledged full support for the projects and expressed appreciation for the visit, noting that wherever there are humans, there are rights and wrongs, likening it to those who receive their books in heaven on their right hands, signifying safety.
He encouraged the CLMT to reach out to the commission for participation and support during their outreach efforts. He also shared his recent visit to Gusau prison, highlighting unsatisfactory conditions and the lack of skill acquisition centres compared to other states, where students have opportunities to take WAEC and NECO exams or enrol in degree programs.
He mentioned the prevalence of TB cases and inquired about how the programme plans to address this issue, noting that one of the staff members appeared to be a suspected TB patient.
