The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration with Plan Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN), an NGO, have trained 50 community leaders on ways to address Gender Based Violence (GBV) cases in Sokoto State.
The community leaders were also trained on best ways to educate their subjects on cases of COVID-19, Family Planning and Child Care in their respective communities.
The beneficiaries, including traditional, religious, women and youth leaders, were selected from five electoral wards each of Sokoto South and Dange/Shuni Local government areas of the state.
The State Coordinator of PPFN, Hafsatu Halilu, said that the training is in order to harmonise the community leaders in each LGA, to work together in addressing cases of GBV, COVID-19 and family planning, among others.
“Today as you can see we are holding the session for community leaders from Sokoto South LGA. We will continue with leaders from Dange/Shuni for the same exercise.
“This exercise is aimed at educating leaders against settling GBV cases in their respective communities and ways to tackle the menace at the grassroot as well as implications.
“Moreover, the programme is a pilot project which will also cover the remaining 21 LGAs of the state and we are fully confident that with the development the cases will be generally minimised,” Halilu said.
The Chairman, volunteer organisation of PPFN, Mr Ibrahim Galadanchi, assured that the training would increase impact on improved support by the community leader’s commitment and engagement to their people.
He said the action plan formation at community level would enhance the knowledge of the leaders toward addressing their community’s challenges.
Emmanuel Ukoh
