A Non Governmental Organization (NGO) ‘Ikra Foundation for Women and Youth Development’ (IKFWYD) in collaboration with the Bauchi state ministry of women affairs has trained 25 women drawn from the 20 local government areas of Bauchi state on sexual and reproductive health and gender based violence.
The workshop was funded by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and supported by global affairs canada.
Speaking during the opening ceremony of the workshop, founder of Ikra foundation Barrister Amina Garuba Ahmed explained that the trainees would be taught on reproductive health including menstrual hygiene and the causes and prevention for Vaginal Vestico Fistula (VVF) disease.
Other topics of discourse at the workshop she noted were early marriage, gender based violence and traditional practices that are harmful to women.
“It is a three day training program. When we finish training them, they will go back to their various local governments and carry out step down training and create awarenesses in various communities.
“We have seen the threat in gender based violence is escalating every day. Domestic violence talking about physical violence against women is 30 per cent in Nigeria. In Bauchi, it is 35 per cent. So the prevalence in Bauchi state is higher than that of Nigeria”. She asserted.
Also speaking, the Bauchi state focal person of the United Nations Population Fund Mrs Deborah Tabara explained that the idea behind the training was to change harmful practices in the state adding that the trainees were expected to pass the message widely in their respective communities.
