By Polycarp Auta 

Women for Women International-Nigeria (WfWi-N) has organised a training on Gender Mainstreaming Transformative Approaches for district heads from Pankshin, Riyom and Jos East Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Plateau.

Speaking at the event on Tuesday in Jos, Bukola Onyishi, the Country Director of WfWi-N, said that the training was funded by the Ford Foundation.

Represented by Monica Agene, the People’s Capability and Culture/Administrative Manager of the organisation, Onyishi explained that the exercise was under its project, ”Mobilising Community-Led Solutions for Addressing Gender-Based Violence in Northern Nigeria.”

She said that the exercise aimed at equipping the participants with requisite knowledge toward mitigating violence against women in communities.

Onyishi noted that the project was currently being implemented in five communities across Pankshin, Riyom and Jos East LGAs
”This training intends to equip traditional and community stakeholders to adopt more targeted interventions for addressing the various forms of violence experienced by women in communities.

”As custodians of people’s culture, traditional leaders play a pivotal role and serve as an entry point that can be leveraged to transform traditional norms.

”Therefore, it has become imperative to conduct this training.

”The overall objective of this project is to transform the social norms that trigger and drive gender-based violence by better understanding of the causes of violence against women in communities.

”So, I implore you to approach this training with utmost seriousness, to collectively take action to transform gender norms and create gender-sensitive traditional councils,” she said.

Onyishi said that WfWi-N focuses on prevention, specifically in creating culture that supported women’s rights to exist free from violence.

She explained that its ”Stronger Women Stronger Nations” programme provides training and resources to marginalised women, rekindled their hope and helps them to discover their sense of purpose in life.

”Through this empowerment, they become better equipped to provide for themselves, their families and communities, and by extension contributing to the well-being and progress of the society as a whole.

”At the same time, our men’s engagement programme engages men in supporting the efforts of these women and in shifting knowledge, behaviours and ultimately, attitudes toward gender equality and the prevention of violence against women.

”Our ‘Change Agent’ and community engagement work to ensure community buy-in and support, which is crucial for preventing violence against women,” she  explained.

Mr Gyang Dalyop, the facilitator of the training, described the exercise as ‘apt’, adding that it would serve as an eye opener to the traditional institution toward promoting the rights of women in communities.

Dalyop decried the existence of some norms that seemed to be at variance with the development of women.

He maintained that the training would enable the participants have better understanding of their roles in mitigating violence against women.