Stakeholders have called for increased support to government officials and community groups, recognising their vital roles in addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and other harmful practices (HP).
Newsmen reports that the call was made on Friday at the close of a three-day orientation and sensitisation exercise for officials and community members in Sokoto State.
The training, organised by the Sokoto State Government in collaboration with the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), focused on Psycho-Social Support (PSS), Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR), GBV, and HP.
Hajiya Maryam Ahmad-Barade, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, stressed the need for officials to stay updated on modern response techniques, data collection, and service delivery.
She emphasised that empowering personnel with the right knowledge was key to providing effective services and urged participants to apply what they learned to promote a society that valued and respected individual rights and dignity.
Ahmad-Barade highlighted that the initiative targeted challenges such as maternal mortality, unmet family planning needs, GBV, and vulnerabilities during humanitarian crises, while also discouraging harmful traditional practices.
Speaking at the event, Hajiya Hauwa’u Umar-Jabo, Director of Women at the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, described the training as timely and beneficial.
She noted it broadened participants’ knowledge and introduced modern approaches to tackling gender issues.
UNFPA Youth Ambassador, Mr Hamidu Almustapha, emphasised the agency’s commitment to promoting youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health education to reduce early pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
He explained that UNFPA implemented various GBV prevention and response initiatives, including safe spaces, psychological support, and legal aid for survivors.
“UNFPA is working with governments and communities to improve tracking of child marriage, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and other harmful traditional practices,” Almustapha said.
He added that efforts were also being made to strengthen law enforcement and justice systems to ensure perpetrators of GBV were held accountable.
Malam Musa Wamakko, Director of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, commended UNFPA for working with faith-based and traditional leaders to shift social norms and promote gender equality.
He noted that the campaign for gender-responsive policies was gaining ground and ensuring women’s voices were included in decision-making processes.
Wamakko lauded Gov. Ahmad Aliyu for his administration’s ongoing support to UNFPA and other development partners.
He revealed that a N900 million counterpart fund was underway to further strengthen health and related initiatives across the state, with more projects and investments expected to benefit the public.
Newsmen also reports that various resource persons presented on the use of data and innovation for improved health outcomes, including conducting demographic surveys to inform policies on health, education, and economic planning.
Other topics covered included digital health solutions, mobile platforms for reproductive health services, and strengthening Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) to ensure that every birth was recorded, enabling better access to healthcare and social services.
About The Author
