A non-governmental organisation (NGO) under the auspices of Empowering Women for Excellence Initiative (EWEI) has sensitised members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Kaduna Polytechnic Chapter on the prevention of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
The EWEI’s programme officer, Gender, Mr Mendie Jeremiah during the opening session of the seminar in Kaduna said that the orientation was under the “We for Them (WFT)” project.
Jeremiah, who is also the secondary focal person, WFT, explained that the project was being implemented in partnership with Africa Women’s Development Fund.
He said that the project was aimed at decreasing the frequency of SGBV, with particular focus on sexual harassment and abuse in public spaces.
He said EWEI would be working with allies from ASUP, a male-dominated union of Kaduna Polytechnic to implement the project in the next two years, he added.
Jeremiah noted that a total of 50 academic staff members were selected from five colleges of the institution to participate in the implementation of the project.
“WFT is similarly being implemented with members of the Kaduna chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers and together, we expect to reach more than 4,500 primary and secondary beneficiaries,” he said.
Also, Mr Courage Galah, EWEI’s senior programme officer, monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning, said that the approach would include raising awareness about GBV toll-free helpline and support systems for survivors.
The chairman of the union, Abubakr Abdullahi, lauded the initiative, adding that it would support ongoing efforts by the management of the institution to curb the incidence of SGBV in the polytechnic community.
Also, the commissioner for human services and social development, Hajia Hafsat Baba, thanked EWEI for the initiative, adding that it would go a long way in supporting the government to curb SGBV in households and public places.
Baba, who was represented by Mrs Biniriyi Abba, principal executive officer 1, gender affairs department, said that the ministry would work with the NGO to deliver the objectives of the project.
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