CITAD HOSTS HAJIYA SAUDATU MAHDI, SECRETARY GENERAL, WOMEN’S RIGHT ADVANCEMENT AND PROTECTION ALTERNATIVE (WRAPA) AS DECEMBER INSPIRING LEADERSHIP REFLECTION SERIES GUEST

The monthly Inspiring Leadership Reflection and Interaction Series of the Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) yesterday hosted Hajiya Saudatu Mahdi MFR as the Guest Speaker for the month of December. In his introductory speech, CITAD’s Senior Program Officer Peace and Conflict Resolution, Malam Isah Garba, said that Hajiya Saudatu Mahdi is the administrative and programme head of WRAPA responsible for the general administration of the organization at the national level. She is responsible for programme design and sourcing funding for programme work. Isah said that Hajiya has to her credit published over 20 and unpublished presentations on violence against women.

In her speech, Hajiya Saudatu highlighted how she has participated in and piloted varied studies on gender with specific focus on violence against women, bodily integrity of women and girls, gender gap analysis in Nigeria towards project implementation and research documentation on women’s political participation in Nigeria. She said that from 2001 to date she has worked closely with lawyers and activists like Engr. YZ Ya’u to develop a national law on violence against women under the auspices of the Legislative Advocacy Coalition on Violence against Women.
She also cautioned the activities of the young ladies for always be over ambitious that they must get ready-made husbands. “Money is not sign of success in life” she emphasized. She then expressed her sadness over the nature of the recent Hausa Movies that deviate the true system of life of Hausa people. 15781529_1205899502830909_5140297333436246368_n
While Answering question on the current bill presented to the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and now at the Senate Committee for public hearing on Gender Equity, Hajiya explained clearly the content of the bill, said that the bill is not talking about equality between male and female in inheritance as widely speculated. She said that the bill is talking about opportunities between male and female. Finally, she seeks the support of CITAD on her different flat forms and networks to keep on enlighten people about the true content of the bill as many people do not know the actual content of the bill.
Malam Ahmad Abdullahi Yakasai, CITAD’s Training Coordinator who represented the executive director of CITAD Dr. YZ Ya’u thanked the guest Speaker for been with the staff, interns and friends of the organization for more than four hours giving useful talks that money cannot buy. He then restated that the monthly event is meant to serve as experience sharing as well as learning ground for the staff and interns, emphasizing that people like Hajiya Saudatu Mahdi who dedicated their lives to community service are the caliber of personalities who give inspiration and shape young peoples’ lives with the necessary essentials of excelling in their commitments.