By Babatunde Tiamiyu
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 South West states.
The training 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 training is to enhance advocacy for the protection of women and girls rights in Nigeria and beyond, through social accountability support groups and community involvement.
Mrs Abdurasheed explained that each of the trainees who have been equipped with skills, techniques and practical applications of project management and execution are to in turn train 6,000 volunteers across 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, who noted that the training was targeted at female students , Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, Community and religious leaders, added 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, Miss Dunni Riches, Ekiti State Coordinator of WRAPA, acknowledged that the training session was knowledge enriching in engagement and advocacy against SGBV.
The training, which is to be conducted periodically will end tomorrow, Thursday, 11th July, 2024.
