Hassan Mohammed, the Programme Officer of the Gombe State Agency for the Control of AIDS, has highlighted a concerning rise in the number of children contracting Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
Speaking during an interview as part of the 2023 16 Days of Activism organized by the Centre for Integrated Health Programmes, Mohammed attributed the increase to gender-based violence.
He emphasized that cases of child rape and homosexuality among adolescents contribute to the prevalence of HIV infections.
Mohammed noted that the state governor had taken significant actions, including suspending prominent individuals from their positions due to allegations of sexual harassment against children in society.
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“In SACA, we believe these are one of the drivers towards HIV in Gombe State. Small children and even vulnerable individuals are being subjected to abuse, leading to the transmission of infections within our society,” Mohammed stated.
Bashir Musa, a senior manager at CHIP, also expressed concern about the rise in gender-based violence, linking it to cultural factors.
He highlighted that victims, especially raped girls, face stigmatization, discouraging their parents and guardians from reporting such incidents and allowing perpetrators to escape punishment.
During the 16 days of activism, Musa announced plans to conduct sensitization activities in the state, encouraging people to report cases of sexual assaults against girls to address the issue.
Asma’u Ignanus, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, provided further insights into gender-based violence in the state.
She defined GBV as encompassing physical, sexual, mental, or economic harm inflicted on an individual due to power imbalances between males and females.
Ignanus emphasized the importance of addressing threats of violence, coercion, and deprivation of liberty, both in public and private spheres.
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