By joshua HUDA Sisters Association Holds Interfaith Summit on Community Safety, Womens Rights and GBV Prevention
Lokoja, Kogi State, August 16, 2026
The HUDA Sisters Association has convened an interfaith summit aimed at strengthening community safety, promoting womens rights, preventing gender-based violence (GBV), and fostering stronger collaboration among faith communities and other stakeholders.
The summit, held on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at Majesty International School, was themed Breaking the Silence: An Interfaith Summit on Advancing Community Safety, Womens Rights, and Gender-Based Violence Prevention.
The gathering brought together religious leaders, justice-sector stakeholders, counsellors, human rights advocates, community actors and other participants to examine some of the social and human rights challenges affecting women, girls, families and vulnerable persons in society.
The summit emphasized the important role that religious institutions and community leaders can play in preventing violence, protecting vulnerable people, encouraging responsible reporting, and creating supportive environments where survivors can seek help without fear of stigma or discrimination.
Key Issues Discussed
Some of the key issues discussed at the summit are as follows;
1. Sacred Spaces, Safe Homes: Interfaith Strategies to End Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence
Participants examined domestic and intimate partner violence as a community concern that requires collective action rather than silence. Discussions highlighted the responsibility of religious and community leaders to promote healthy relationships, peaceful conflict resolution, respect, accountability and non-violent homes.
The session also emphasized the need to challenge social attitudes that normalize violence within marriage or intimate relationships. Faith leaders were encouraged to use sermons, counselling, premarital programmes and community engagements to promote dignity, mutual respect and peaceful family relationships.
2. Dignity and Justice: Navigating Womens Rights to Matrimonial Dissolution Across Faith Traditions
The summit also addressed the sensitive issue of womens rights in marriage and matrimonial dissolution across different faith traditions.
Participants discussed the importance of ensuring that women are treated with dignity and fairness when marriages break down, while recognizing the role of religious principles, cultural values and applicable laws.
The discussion also underscored the need for women to have access to appropriate information, counselling and justice mechanisms when confronted with marital disputes, abuse or situations that make continuation of a marriage unsafe or untenable.
3. Guardians of the Vulnerable: Modern-Day Slavery, Human Trafficking and Our Shared Moral Duty
Another major focus was human trafficking and other forms of modern-day slavery, particularly the exploitation of women and children.
Participants noted that trafficking thrives where poverty, misinformation, vulnerability and weak community protection mechanisms exist. The summit therefore stressed the importance of community vigilance, public awareness, early identification of trafficking risks and collaboration among families, religious institutions, civil society organizations, law-enforcement agencies and government institutions.
The session reinforced the message that protecting vulnerable persons is a shared moral and social responsibility.
4. Healing and Compassion: Faith-Led Sensitization on Sexual Violence and Survivor Support
The summit further examined sexual violence and the need for survivor-centered responses.
Participants highlighted the importance of creating safe spaces where survivors can speak about their experiences and access appropriate psychosocial, legal, medical and social support. Religious leaders and community stakeholders were encouraged to avoid victim-blaming, protect confidentiality, discourage stigmatization and support survivors in accessing professional services and justice where appropriate.
The discussion also emphasized that faith communities can play a significant role in changing harmful social attitudes and encouraging compassion, dignity and responsible action.
A Call to Break the Silence
A central message emerging from the summit was that silence must not be allowed to protect perpetrators or perpetuate cycles of violence this was made known by Mrs. Oluwakemi Omeiza, the state Chairperson, International Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA) who spoke about the dangers of not speaking out when Gender based violence is being perpetuated.
The summit provided an opportunity for participants to reflect on how faith, law, community leadership and human rights advocacy can work together to address violence and protect vulnerable members of society. They also highlighted the importance of moving beyond awareness to practical action, including stronger referral pathways, community sensitization, survivor support, counselling, legal assistance and collaboration among relevant institutions.
Strengthening Interfaith Collaboration
The interfaith nature of the summit was particularly significant, as it created a platform for dialogue across religious and professional boundaries. The religious leaders representing the Jamatul Nasril Islam, Imam Toheed and the representative of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Emmanuel spoke about the religious perspective on gender-based violence affirming that it is not scriptural for any man to treat his wife without dignity and respect.
By bringing together voices from the justice sector, religious communities, counselling and human rights advocacy, the summit demonstrated the need for a coordinated approach to addressing domestic violence, sexual violence, trafficking and other forms of abuse.
The HUDA Sisters Association reaffirmed through the summit the importance of building communities where women, children and other vulnerable persons can live with dignity, safety and equal protection.
The summit concluded with a renewed call for individuals, families, religious institutions, government agencies, civil society organizations and community leaders to take collective responsibility for preventing violence and protecting vulnerable people.
The message was clear: breaking the silence is only the first step; meaningful change requires sustained action, compassion, accountability and justice.
Media Note: The summit was organized by HUDA Sisters Association under the theme Breaking the Silence: An Interfaith Summit on Advancing Community Safety, Womens Rights, and Gender-Based Violence