The Women Mentoring and Leadership Initiative (WOMFOI), has honoured the Partnership to Engage Reform and Learn (PERL), for supporting women participation in politics in Kaduna State.’
PERL is a United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s funded governance programme, working to strengthen governance systems and improved citizens’ engagement in governance processes.
The President of the group, Mrs Florence Aya, presented the Golden Service and Development Award of Excellence to PERL in Kaduna on Wednesday, during a meeting with citizens group, women, and the media.
The meeting was organised by PERL to mobilise citizens’ groups, women, and the media to set agenda for the 2023 general elections.
Aya said that the award was in recognition and appreciation of PERL’s exemplary support and dedication toward the growth and development of WOMFOI.
She said that PERL’s support had built the confidence of women in politics as well as women capacity on how to effectively engage the political process.
According to her, PERL has mentored the women group on how to aspire for any political office, how to write a manifesto, how to source for funds, and how to mobilise support.
“PERL equally trained us on effective advocacy, public speaking and how to use the media to create the needed publicity and awareness for constituency mobilisation.
“We are recognising our amazons and PERL is one of them because the governance programme has supported us right from inception to date.
“PERL has been providing technical support and advice to our group and up till now, PERL is in the business of supporting women Mentoring and Leadership Initiatives.
“We are giving PERL this award to show our appreciation forall the technical and mentorship support it provided us that has brought us thus far,” she said.
Aya said that the vision of WOMFOI was to create a sustainable platform that would prepare women for responsible and effective leadership and empower them to aspire to any leadership position.
Responding, Mr Adejor Abel, PERL’s State Team Facilitator, who received the award, thanked the women group for the recognition, describing it as a “true honour”.
“We really appreciate this recognition of our work with women groups in Kaduna State to help them to effectively engage the political process and vie for electoral and appointive positions.
“PERL will continue to mobilise women to participate fully in the political space for their voices to be heard and participate in the decision-making process in the state,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Kaduna Local Government Accountability Mechanism (LGAM), a transparency, and accountability platform for local governance also presented an award to PERL recently.
The award, according to the group, is to appreciate PERL’s support for local government reforms and establishment of LGAM in 23 local government areas of the state.
The ward was also in recognition of the immense contributions of PERL in building the capacity of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to engage the governance process, ensure good governance and quality service delivery. (NAN)
