The Benue State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare says it has pledged to partner with three non-governmental organisations to strengthen gender-based violence (GBV) response and child protection in the state.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs Theresa Ikwue, described GBV prevention, child protection and access to justice for survivors as core mandates of the ministry.
Ikwue stated this when the NGOs visited the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare in Makurdi on Monday.
She said the ministry had sustained partnerships with development partners, including UNICEF, to strengthen case management and documentation of GBV and child protection cases.
The commissioner welcomed the proposed collaboration and assured the organisations of the ministry’s support and institutional framework to ensure the sustainability of the project.
She stressed the need for practical grassroots implementation to ensure women, children and other vulnerable groups benefited directly from the intervention.
Truthng reports that the organisations include Nkamson Charity Foundation (NCF), Care and Support Foundation (CASFOD) and Gender Equality and Peace Development Center (GEPaDC).
Speaking on behalf of the organisations, Ms Brenda Nkaso said a pilot training programme on GBV response and child protection would be conducted in Agatu, Logo, Ohimini and Kwande Local Government Areas.
She said the six-day training was aimed at building the capacity of participants to respond effectively to GBV and child protection issues, adding that the organisations had implemented similar interventions in Yobe, Zamfara and Borno states.
Earlier, Mr Osawaro Stephen of CASFOD requested the ministry’s support in providing psychosocial support facilitators to strengthen the training and build participants’ capacity.
The organisations later presented a roll-up banner and other gift items to the commissioner in appreciation of her support and expressed optimism that the partnership would improve GBV response and child protection across the state.
