WRAPA trains Zamfara judges on Islamic family law

By Sanusi Muhammad

Gusau

The Women Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA) yesterday commenced a two-day workshop on the training of 44 Zamfara Sharia court judges.
The focus was on Islamic family law, to be implemented in their respective courts of jurisdiction with a view to ensuring protection of the rights of women in their matrimonial homes.
In her opening remarks during the workshop yesterday in Gusau, WRAPA Project Director, Hajiya Saudatu Mahdi, the body came into being in 2006 following increase in divorce cases among couples in Northern parts of the country.
“The WRAPA Islamic family law project is being implemented with the support from Mac Arthur Foundation and the seven state governments of the North West to enhance the application and improve practice around Islamic family law matters, respectively,” she said.
She attributed the high rate of breach of family rights on the mix of ignorance and unIslamic, hostile cultural practices, particularly in the North west states which derive from the continued increase of divorce among couples.
She said there was the need for engagement of stakeholders, including the executive, legislature, judiciary, community, faith-based leaders, women groups and the media for dialogue to address the challenges.
“It is clear that for every 100 cases in most of our Sharia courts in the North west, 70 per cent are marriage cases and we must put serious commitment to reduce the challenges in order to have better society and peace loving nation in the near future,” she added.
In his remarks, Zamfara state governor, Abdulaziz Yari, who was represented by the state Commissioner of Women and CHILDREN affairs, Hajiya Bilkisu Ibrahim, said the state government would continue to give the necessary support to WRAPA to ensure total fight against breach of the rights of women in Sharia states.

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