Maiduguri, March 18, 2019 (NAN) The UN Women Agency (UN-Women) on Monday organised a rally to create awareness on women empowerment and protection in Maiduguri, Borno, North East Nigeria.
Mr Obed Roland, the Programme Manager, told newsmen during the rally at the Old Maiduguri area of the metropolis,
that the exercise was being conducted under the Protection, Empowerment and Resilience Development (PERD) project of the agency.
Roland disclosed that the programme was designed to create awareness and promote community participation in women empowerment and protection activities, as well as promote girl-child education at the grassroots.
He explained that the programme focused on promoting gender equality, protection and skill acquisition training to empower women, and to enable them to engage in productive activities and take care of their families.
He added that « we are conducting community sensitisation in Jere and Mafa local government areas of Borno and Damaturu in Yobe.
« The sensitisation is to encourage male headed households to protect their women and support them to learn trades, to enable them to become self-reliant. »
According to him, the programme is supported by the Japanese Government, in collaboration with UN-Women, Search for Common Ground and Borno Ministry of Women Affairs.
Ms Cynthia Kolade, the Programme Officer, said that the programme was also in collaboration with the police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, community and religious leaders to enhance the protection of women against violence.
