By Habibu Harisu
The Sokoto State Government, in collaboration with seven
donor agencies, opened a training for 50 adolescent girls on digital literacy and other livelihood skills.
The training is part of 2023 International Women’s Day (IWD) celebration, an annual UN global observance to celebrate
women and bring issues that affect women and girls to the fore and proffer solutions to problems identified.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training was anchored by the Sokoto State Ministry of Women
and Children Affairs and the Sokoto State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SSPHCDA) with supporting donors.
The supporting agencies are the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), USAID, Plan International, The Challenge
Initiative (TCI), Breakthrough Action, Merie Stopes Nigeria and MOMENTUM Safe Surgery in Family Planning and
Obstetrics (MSSFPO) Project.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Hajiya A’isha Dantsoho, said that the programme was combined
with IWD and International Adolescents Health Week, aimed at spotlighting women-related issues.
Dantsoho explained that the basic computer literacy training was designed to be part of the week to prepare the 50
dolescent girls for online courses, software knowledge and other digital skills to suite contemporary policies.
She added that the beneficiaries comprised adolescent girls’ survivors of Gender Based Violence (GBV), Vesico
Vaginal Fistula (VVF) and persons with disabilities in Sokoto.
She said adolescents girls were targeted because they were in their transformation stage from childhood to womanhood,
a critical period in their lives.
She added that adolescent age for girls is a challenging period where some may be molested or sexually abused,
along with other growth distablisation challenges.
According to her, the training is to impart knowledge onto the adolescent girls on health rights, Sexual Reproductive Health
Right (SRHR), business startups and other issues.
“We are trying to catch them young and build their capacity against all forms of challenges such as GBV, VVF, child marriage
and other livelihood support skills,” Dantsoho said.
The Director, Community Health in SSPHCDA, Hajiya Amina Abdullahi, said the adolescents girls were being prepared to
fight for their rights, voice out problems and feelings and reach adulthood with full awareness on handling diverse issues.
Abdullahi explained that modalities were in progress to expand Adolescent Youth Centres across the state to allow adolescent
girls to access knowledge, information and issues concerning their future.
Mrs Gloria Enuaze, the UNFPA Programme Officer in Sokoto State, described the training as unique and an opportunity to
enhance the capacity of adolescent girls in the society.
Representatives of Breakthrough Action, Jamila Suleiman, TCI — Arome Odoma, Marie Stopes — Suwaiba Abubakar and
MOMENTUM Safe Surgery in Family Planning and Obstetrics (MSSFPO) Project — Nasiru Muhammad, lauded the
commitment of the Sokoto State Government.
They assured the state government of continued partnership. (NAN)