Various women groups in Delta State have met in Asaba under the aegis of United Nations Women Coordination Mechanism with a resolve to strengthen advocacy for their participation in governance, gender equality and to end gender based violence.
The event featured inauguration of local government coordinators and networks coordinators of UN Women Coordination Mechanism by the Delta State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Community and Social Development, Princess Pat Ajudua , amidst impressive turnoutt of critical stakeholders.
Some of the major networks of UN Women Coordination Mechanism inaugurated included FOMWAN, FAWE, and SWAN .
Addressing the newly inaugurated coordinators of networks and the twenty five local government focal persons , the State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Community and Social Development, Princess Pat Ajudua urged them to achieve the purpose for which they were appointed to serve in line with the policies and programmes of the UN Women .
”UN women are to coordinate women in every local government area of the state to ensure they train women how to be financially and economically independent”, she stated.
Ajudua who was honoured at the event with an award of excellence told newsmen that the ministry of women affairs, community and social development was intensifying efforts in dealing with cases of gender based violence.
She said, ” We don’t take it for granted. When we hear about gender based violence, we rush down, and make sure we call all the relevant stakeholders involved in dealing with the case: the police, female lawyers, the ministry, and others to make sure those who are supposed to be in jail, will go to jail. Those who are to be prosecuted, they are prosecuted; and those who are to be settled and rehabilitated, they are settled.”
Delta State Coordinator and UN Civil Society organisations Representative , Ambassador Eris Jewo-Ibi said the coordination mechanism of the UN Women was launched last year in Calabar, and that the inauguration of coordinators for the twenty five local government areas of Delta State and the major networks was part of a broader efforts to ensure effective coordination of activities of all the women in the state.
Jewo-Ibi stated, ”UN Women group has different projects in different states. My own unit is responsible for coordination… coordinating all women activities in the 25 local government areas of Delta State. We have different women groups, women in professional associations, women networks, and many others.
”The UN Women Coordination Unit was launched a year ago in Calabar, and we are working with all the line ministries, especially with the ministry of women affairs, community and social development where it is domiciled ”
Ambassador Jewo-Ibi highlighted the aims of the UN Women Coordination Mechanism to include encouraging all women to be involved in issues of accelerating gender equality.
”The activity for today is majorly to inaugurate the Delta State Coordination Mechanism at local government areas, and also the networks. We are also creating awareness on what the UN Women programme is all about ”, Jewo-Ibi pointed out.
The event which was climaxed with presentation of awards of excellence and commendations to some individuals and organisations , provided opportunities for resource persons to build the capacity of participants on the topic : ‘Addressing Online Gender Based Violence: Challenges and Solutions in the Digital Age , Focusing on Cyber Bullying, Online Harassment, and Strategies to Safeguard Women in the Digital Space by Stella Macaulay, a director in the Delta State Ministry of Information, while the second presentation was on Skills Building on Homestead Garden by Mr John Ogbeide, Delta State Coordinator, Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria.
Sam Erhunmwunsee, Radio Nigeria Asaba
