A non-governmental organisation with a focus on preventing violence against women and girls, the Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative, WRAPA, has trained volunteers and strategic partners across the six South West states.
The training of the trainers with the theme: Women at the centre, strengthening capacity and resilience for women’s rights advancement held in Ibadan was supported by the Ford Foundation.
WRAPA Programme Officer, Mrs Zainab Abdurasheed said the programme was to enhance the capacity to protect and advocate for women and girls by strengthening social accountability support groups and enhancing membership structures and community involvement in strengthening women’s rights in Nigeria and beyond.
Mrs Abdurasheed explained that the trainees have been equipped with skills, techniques and practical applications of project management and execution are to train 6,000 volunteers across the Southwest.
One of the facilitators at the 3-day zonal training, and a Deputy Director, Outside Broadcast and Sports, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Ibadan, Dr Abiodun Ogidan emphasized the need for volunteers to jettison sentiments while on advocacy to eliminate Sexual and Gender Based Violence, SGBV against women and girls in communities.
WRAPA Acting Coordinator, South West and the Oyo state Coordinator, Dr Mercy Olumakinwa, said the training was targeted at students , especially females being abused, the Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, Communities and religious leaders to eradicate the menace, adding that the trainees have been trained on safety measures, use of legal and government agencies to overcome pushbacks.
Some of the trained volunteers, Professor Olubunmi Ashimilowo, Ogun State Coordinator, Alhaja Sherifat Taliat-Arafat, a partner from Oyo state and Miss Dunni Riches, Ekiti State Coordinator of WRAPA acknowledged that the training session has enriched them in engagement and advocacy against SGBV.
The training, which is to be conducted periodically will end on Thursday, 11th July, 2024.
