Amnesty International takes women’s rights campaign to FCT community

Residents of Iddo-Sarki community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have received guidance on the rights of women and girls following an awareness drive organised by Amnesty International to mark the 2026 International Women’s Day.

The outreach programme was designed to educate women, girls and other members of the community about their legal rights, existing safeguards under the law and where to seek help in cases of abuse or discrimination.

Speaking during the exercise on Saturday, the Programme Manager of Amnesty International, Barbara Magaji, said the campaign drew inspiration from this year’s International Women’s Day theme centred on advancing rights and justice for women and girls.

Magaji noted that many women, particularly those living in rural areas, are often unaware of their basic rights or the legal protections available to them.

“So we looked at the theme of the year, which talks about ‘Rights, Justice, Action For ALL Women and Girls’.

“In the course of our work, we see that many women and girls at community levels do not even understand what their rights are or even know what the laws are, not to talk of seeking redress and justice. So, we thought it wise to do this,” she said.

She explained that the organisation deliberately chose a rural community for the sensitisation exercise in order to reach people who are frequently left out of human rights campaigns concentrated in urban centres.

“Human rights are for everyone. That is why we identified a community in the FCT for this outreach.

“We are not only doing this here; our volunteers and supporters in about six states are also carrying out similar activities to commemorate the rights of women and girls,” she added.

Magaji said the team adopted a multilingual approach to ensure the message reached as many residents as possible. Presentations and discussions were conducted in English, Pidgin, Hausa and the Gbagyi/Gbari dialect spoken locally.

Legal practitioners from the Nigerian Bar Association and the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Abuja Branch, also participated in the programme, offering legal guidance on different forms of violence against women and how victims can pursue justice.

The Chairperson of FIDA Abuja Branch, Chioma Onyenucheya-Uko, explained that violence against women extends beyond physical assault to include acts such as sexual coercion, eviction from homes and other gender-based abuses.

“Many people think violence must be physical before it becomes an offence.

“However, there are other forms such as sexual and gender-based violence, coercion and even domestic actions like evicting a woman from her home,” she said.

She urged victims to remove themselves from unsafe situations and promptly report incidents to relevant authorities so that evidence can be preserved.

“In cases of physical or sexual violence, victims should report immediately. Delays such as bathing or cleaning up may destroy evidence that could help secure justice,” she explained.

Onyenucheya-Uko added that victims may approach community leaders, trusted elders or the police, or contact FIDA through 08060774236 for legal assistance.

She also cautioned that anyone who shields or assists perpetrators of abuse could face legal consequences.

According to her, taking human rights education to rural areas helps close the information gap between urban and rural populations.

“Knowledge is power. When people understand their rights, potential perpetrators will be deterred and victims will be empowered to seek help.”

She revealed that FIDA Abuja was considering the creation of a community-based paralegal unit in Iddo-Sarki to support victims and guide them through legal procedures.

The Village Head of Iddo-Sarki, Chief Bello Sarki, praised Amnesty International for bringing the awareness campaign to the community.

He assured organisers of the community’s support in protecting the rights of women and girls and encouraged residents to apply what they had learnt to promote harmony and safeguard women and children.

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