For adequate self reliance, the Ebonyi state Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in Collaboration With office of the Governor’s Wife Mrs Mary- Maudlin Nwifuru and UNFPA
has trained, graduate and empower twenty survivors of gender-based violence in the State.
They were empowered with working materials and equipments such as computer, tailoring machine Hair dressing and barbing equipments, bags of flours and other baking materials, among things to start and grow their business experiences and knowledge gathered from the training.
Correspondent reports that 3 males survivors were part of the empowerment beneficiaries and 17 females, including persons with disabilities.
The empowerment program took place Friday, in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital.
The wife of Ebonyi state Governor, Mrs Mary-Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru said she want to bring GBV to zero level in the State.
Represented by the wife of the Chief of Staff, government house, Nkechi Emma Echiegu, Mrs Nwifiru urged beneficiaries to be courageous and have self confidence so as to virtually use the empowerment to build sustainable incomes for themselves and their families.
“there is strength in every disability; if we change our mindset, there is nothing we cannot do therefore avoid self pity”.
Mrs Nwifuru thanked UNFPA for supporting the State in reducing the incidence of GBV and empowering survivors with skills for economic development.
Bar Felicia Nwamkpuma Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, commended the GBV taskforce, the Civil society Organizations, other partners and stakeholders for being part of the 16 days activities of exploring avenues to preventing GBV in the State including sensitization programs and high powered advocacy lead by the wife of the governor.
According to her the Ministry of women affairs in collaboration with UNFPA have created awareness and programmes that foster skills development and empowerment.
“Today we celebrate the resilience of survivors who have undergone training, equipping them with tools to rebuild their lives and contribute meaningfully to society.
” By supporting survivors and providing them with opportunities for growth, we are sowing the seeds of a future free from the shackles of violence.”
She said the empowerment program was part of continuous effort of the Ministry and the state government to change the society through regular survivor assistance and supervision.
Mrs Florence Onwa gender desk officer in the ministry, explained that the empowerment program was part of activities to wrap up the 2023 16 days activism against Gender based violence, with the theme “Unite, Invest To Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls.”
The UNFPA representative, in Ebonyi Benedict Esong, said that UNFPA will always support all programmes aimed at promoting gender equity towards ensuring that women are not dehumanized.
He noted that UNFPA was working to ensure zero maternal death, zero unmet needs and zero GBV incidence in the state by 2030.
One of the CSOs representative at the event, Doris Ajah, appealed to the ministry to ensure that the survivors were visited in their work places to ascertain and monitor what they do with the empowerment facilities.
Doris, the Monitoring and Evaluation officer with Foundation for Resilient Empowerment and Development (FRED), promised to use her skills to support the ministry in monitoring and evaluating the performances of the beneficiaries.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of certificates of completion of courses to the beneficiaries.
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