The French Embassy in Nigeria and the Neem Foundation have formally launched a €100,000, equivalent to N84m business scheme, to empower 200 survivors of Gender-based Violence (GBV) in Sokoto State.
The Deputy Ambassador, Embassy of France in Nigeria, Mr Olivier Chatelais, said during the launch yesterday in Abuja that the ‘Vocational Training and Entrepreneurship: Empowering Women Survivors of Violence in Northwest Nigeria’ project is part of effort to provide mental health support and training in income-generating activities for the survivors.
He noted that according to the 2018 National Demography and Health Survey in Nigeria, over three in every 10 women and girls experienced some form of physical, mental, or sexual violence at age 15.
“The project is aimed at providing vocational and entrepreneurship training as well as mental health and psychosocial support services to women affected by conflict and Gender-based violence in North-west Nigeria,” Chatelais said.
On her part, the Executive Director of Neem Foundation, Dr. Fatima Akilu, said that GBV does not accidentally occurred as there are usually signs that should be noted to take appropriate actions.
Giving an overview of the project, Senior Programme manager, Neem Foundation, Minoe Duamwan, said the project would directly impact 200 women.
She noted that increased violence and banditry across the country, and particularly in the North, has exacerbated the incidence of GBV against women and girls.
She added that thousands of women have become widows and sole breadwinners in a context where they have little access to land resources and economic opportunities such as entrepreneurship to support themselves and their families.
“Survivors have limited access to basic services including health and education and for displaced women and girls in many communities in the North-West and North-East, the violence has sharply accentuated pre-existing gender and economic disparities.
She said, “Without psycho-social support and access to training, these women are at risk of sexual exploitation. This project will indirectly reach 2000 beneficiaries from the homes of the direct beneficiaries of this program.
“Households will benefit from additional income from skills acquired during training sessions and income-generating activities. We are being supported with €100,000 to implement this project. The programme will be carried out for a period of 10 months.”
Also, the Director of Administration, Sokoto State Small and Medium Enterprises Agency (SOSMEDA), Mr. Buhari Sulaiman, commended the French government for the project, saying it would positively impact the people of the state and the country at large.
On her part, the Permanent Secretary, Sokoto State Ministry of Women Affairs, Hajiya Aisha Dantsoh, said they are committed to working with any partner to uplift and empower the Sokoto women or the adolescent girls.
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