Mrs Noro Bature, Project Coordinator, North, Women’s Voice and Leadership, Nigeria (WVL-N) under ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) has said that no fewer than 35,000 females have been impacted in Kebbi.
She disclosed this in an interview in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday at the sideline of a quarterly monitoring visit to ActionAid partners.
Bature said, “ActionAid Nigeria (AAN), in collaboration with 15 partners in Kebbi through its project; Women’s Voice and Leadership Nigeria (WVL-N) project funded by Global Affairs Canada has reached out to over 35,000 women and girls through different interventions.
“These are interventions relating to Women Economic Empowerment, Sexual and Gender Based Violence, Sexual Right and Reproductive Health and Women Political and Leadership participation.
“The WVL-N project works with state actors, schools, MDAs, community and religious leaders to ensure that issues concerning women and girls are captured and appropriate laws and policies are put in place to cub this menace.”
According to Bature, WVL-N Project is a five-year project that is funded by Global Affairs Canada, aimed at building the capacities and supporting activities of local and national Women’s Rights Organizations and movements.
Especially those who seek to empower women and girls, advance the protection of women and girls’ rights and achieve gender equality in Nigeria.
“Through this project, ActionAid Nigeria has re-defined the narratives of donor funding by establishing partnerships with over 100 Women’s Rights Organizations who have the privilege of accessing funds which allows them the flexibility of implementing their respective core mandates as women-focused organizations.
“This intervention is designed to respond to the challenges faced by Local Women’s Rights Organizations in Nigeria through provision of multiple layers of funding and targeted/tailored capacity building.
“This is done using participatory learning techniques to empower women and their collectives, and girls to challenge deep seated oppressive cultural practices and violence against them in communities and at the local and state government levels,” the coordinator said.
She said the project also engages in economic activities and participates in decision making spaces and processes; build solidarity and movement and better able to demand accountability from duty bearers at all levels through campaigns.
Bature said the project had been implemented in seven states of Bauchi, Kebbi, Kwara, Enugu, Cross River, Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
She added that apart from funding, partners had access to tools, resources, and mentorship opportunities which further strengthen and sustain their financial, technical, and organizational capacity in advancing the rights of women and girls and addressing gender equality barriers more effectively.
The project she said, supports feminist platforms at the state and federal levels for more effective networking and greater cohesiveness in the advancement of women and girls’ rights.
“Since its inception in April 2019 and full commencement in July 2019, the project has been funding the implementation of impactful activities around Gender-Based Violence, Women Political Participation, and Economic Justice in eighteen (18) states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory.
“To ensure a geographic balance, the project states were selected to represent the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria,” she assured.
