By Oswald Agwu.
The United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, in collaboration with the Ebonyi State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development has graduated twenty survivors of gender-based violence in the State.
INN reports that the graduands consisting of 3 males and 17 females, including people with disabilities, were also empowered with working materials and equipments to start and grow their economic ventures.
The graduation and empowerment ceremony took place Friday at the Re-meritona Hotel, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital.
It was part of activities of the Ministry to wrap up the 2023 16 days of activism against Gender based violence, with the theme “Unite, Invest To Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls.”
Materials and equipments given to the beneficiaries included Sewing machines, Laptop computers, Hair dressing and barbing equipments, bags of flours and other baking materials, among others.
Addressing newsmen during the event, the wife of Ebonyi state Governor, Mrs Mary-Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru restated her resolve to bring GBV to zero level in the State, leveraging on her project, Better Health for Rural Women, Children and Internally Displaced Foundation, BERWO.
The Governor’s wife, represented by the wife of the Chief of Staff, government house, Mrs Nkechi Emma Echiegu, admonished beneficiaries to be courageous and have self confidence so as to effectively utilize the empowerment to build sustainable incomes for themselves.
He charged the survivors, especially persons with disabilities against self pity and low self esteem, adding: “there is strength in disability; if we change our mindset, there is nothing we cannot do.”
The Governor’s wife appreciated UNFPA for supporting the State in reducing the incidence of GBV and empowering survivors with skills for economic development.
The Ebonyi Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Felicia Nwamkpuma, in an opening remark commended the GBV taskforce, the Civil society Organizations, other partners and stakeholders for being part of the 16 days journey of exploring avenues to preventing GBV in the State.
She noted that the Ministry’s collaboration with UNFPA have not only raised awareness but have actively created programmes that foster skills development and empowerment.
Nwamkpuma added: “Today we celebrate the resilience of survivors who have undergone training, equipping them with tools to rebuild their lives and contribute meaningfully to society.
” By supporting survivors and providing them with opportunities for growth, we are sowing the seeds of a future free from the shackles of violence.”
The Commissioner emphasized that the collaborative empowerment event was not an isolated one, but part of continuous effort of the Ministry and the state government to transform society through regular survivor assistance.
The UNFPA country representative, Andrew Karima represented at the event by Benedict Esong, the Ebonyi State representative, assured that UNFPA will always support all programmes aimed at promoting gender equity towards ensuring that women are not dehumanized.
He stated that UNFPA was working to ensure zero maternal death, zero unmet needs and zero GBV incidence in Nigeria by 2030.
One of the CSOs representative at the event, Doris Ajah-Okohu, advised the ministry to ensure that the survivors were visited in their work places to ascertain and monitor what they do with the empowerment facilities.
Ajah-Okohu, the Monitoring and Evaluation officer with Foundation for Resilient Empowerment and Development (FRED), promised to use her skills to support the ministry in monitoring and evaluating the performances of the beneficiaries.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke to newsmen expressed joy over the development, promising to effectively utilise the equipments and materials.
They were optimistic that the gesture would not only help them sustain their families but make them employers of labour in due course.
Highlight of the event was the presentation of certificates of completion of courses to the beneficiaries.