Kaduna Women Trained On Gender, Conflict Sensitivity

A non-governmental organisation (NGO), International Alert with support from the United Kingdom Conflict, Security and Stability Fund (CSSF) has empowered women in Kaduna State on conflict and gender sensitivity.

International Alert is implementing a project; “Adalchi Shine Kwanciyar Hankali (Achieving Justice Promotes Stability)” to address the challenges of peace.

The senior project officer, International Alert, Sunday Momoh Jimoh, during the training yesterday in Kaduna, said the training was to empower women with basic skills and provide knowledge to understand the basic concepts of conflict, gender sensitivity and also improve the referral pathways and network, to mitigate and prevent continued cases of SGBV.

“Our aim is to create platforms to raise the voices of women and other marginalised groups, improve local capacities and institutions, conflict management, improve advocacy skills and promote women leadership.

“We are also trying to mitigate SGBV, integrate gender mainstreaming in promoting stability, access to justice and accountability in local communities,” he said.

Jimoh, therefore, said the project was aimed at supporting stabilisation, local justice and SGBV prevention through broadening inclusion, accountability and managing tensions to reduce violence in Zamfara and Kaduna states.

He called for integration of women in leadership and consultative roles, stressing that they have skills, resources and capacities that could be harnessed to promote development, peace building and access to justice in communities.

A participant and chairperson of Women Peace Network (WOPEN), Mrs Laura Bemo, said their members would ensure sensitisation and advocacy on abuse of children, including the males.

She said male children are also sexually abused, while covering it up because of the thinking and mentality they were meant to believe that “men don’t cry out.”