The United States Agency for International Development Momentum Country and Global Leadership (USAID-MCGL) said it trained 1,105 persons on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) response in Ebonyi.
The Team Lead of the project, Mrs Nneka Chijioke-Dikeocha, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abakaliki, during stakeholders meeting to mark the end of the project in the state the theme “Consolidation, Sustainability and Ownership.”
Chijioke-Dikeocha said the project was meant to address maternal mortality and morbidity by preventing and mitigating the consequences of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAW/G).
She said the project was also designed to tackle possible drivers of early and forced marriages.
She explained that MCGL had also trained 394 healthcare workers in collaboration with the Ebonyi Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.
“Others include the agencies on first line response, concerning postpartum family planning and adolescent response care.
“The project from its inception in 2021, captured the training of multi-sectoral taskforce members and key stakeholders on smart advocacy, resource mobilisation and child safe guarding approaches.
“Others include capacity development of local partners, establishment of women savings and loans group.
“Also, integration of GBV services into routine Ante-Natal Clinic/Family Planning services through a study in 20 selected MCGL supported sites, among others.
“The collaboration with the ministry and other development partners was to facilitate cross learning between Ebonyi and Sokoto states and provide support.”
The wife of the Governor, Mrs Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, through her foundation, Better Health for Rural Women, Children and Internally Displaced Persons (BERWO), applauded the organisation for changing the narrative, where GBV was viewed as part of people’s culture.
Nwifuru, represented by Mrs Nkechi Echiegu, the Team Leader of BERWO, disclosed that the foundation was currently using trained members of the multi-sectoral taskforce across council areas for sustainability of the project.
He added that “concerning maternal mortality and newborn, I have taken it upon myself to enroll 4,076 women into Healthcare Insurance Scheme to enable them to access free ante-natal and free child birth.
“And the scheme is reducing child mortality, I equally enrolled children between zero to five years old, with all this, we are reducing infant mortality in the state.
“I really commend the organisation for establishing the community structure aimed at enhancing the objective of MCGL.”
Nwifuru also disclosed that her foundation plans to build a standard GBV centre with rehabilitation section in the state before 2027.
Mrs Felicia Nwankpuma, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Joy Mbam, described the project from USAID as “transformative with profound impacts on the lives of many women and children.
“Over the past four years, USAID-MCGL has demonstrated exceptional commitment, expertise and support, together, we have launched and implemented numerous initiatives that have advanced gender equality, strengthened responses to GBV.”
The Commissioner for Grants and Donor Agencies, Mr Solomon Azi, acknowledged the impact of the GBV training.
He said “GBV survivors have been equipped with temporary shelter, while men were educated on the need to support their wives.
“MCGL has also educated our youths, mostly girls, with adequate information on post-partum, family planning.(NAN)
By Uchenna Ugwu
