EGOT partners NWTF to Empower Women and Girls in forest communities to counter CEFM
In a significant stride towards promoting gender equality and strengthening local institutions, women voices, rights and ending violence against women and girls, Emerging Genderplus Outreach Team (EGOT) in collaboration with the Nigeria Women Trust Fund (NWTF) is implementing the project: Empower to Counter CEFM/SGBV in Forest Communities of Akamkpa, Cross River state. The project aims at contributing towards reduction of Child, Early and Forced Marriages and other forms of violence through awareness raising, community dialogue, and a drive for community byelaw that will prohibit CEFM/SGBV and curb other harmful cultural practices that infringe on the rights of women and girls. The goal of the project is to influence positive behavioral change and reform traditional and socio-cultural norms which perpetuate CEFM and other forms of violence against women and young adolescent girls by educating and advocating for the development of byelaw that will dismantle the structures driving these obnoxious cultural practices. Two activities were implemented in the first quarter; the townhall meeting for traditional leaders and the 2-Day capacity building workshop for women/mothers and girls on the dangers and consequences of CEFM.
The townhall meeting explained in detail the project’s main goal; provided a breakdown of objectives and implementation strategy, discussed project’s anticipated outputs and identified key issues related to project implementation, sustainability and stakeholders’ and communities’ roles and responsibilities. It was held on the 16th May, 2024 at Iko Esai, Akamkpa Local Government Area. The meeting brought together fifty (50) traditional leaders and community stakeholders who made commitments to work with EGOT and NWTF to promote positive change within their communities. The 2-Day workshop on the dangers and consequences of CEFM for 50 women/mothers and young adolescent girls also held in Iko Esai, Akamkpa Local Government Area, Cross River State on the 17th-18th May, 2024 was specifically designed to help participants nurture a comprehensive understanding of the health and community implications associated with CEFM and to empower the women to proactively counter child marriage and secure the rights of young adolescent girls.
EGOT warmly extends appreciation to the Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF) for funding the project which has played a pivotal role in empowering the vulnerable population domicile in the rainforests to identify and counter child marriage and other forms of violence against women and girls. As the echoes of this workshop reverberate through the Akamkpa LGA, it is anticipated that the knowledge and empowerment gained by the Iko Esai community leaders, the women and girls in these activities and the ones to follow will be instrumental in advancing the cause of gender equality and promoting respectful relationships.
Great work in the hard-to-reach communities
Kudos to Emerging Genderplus Outreach Team (EGOT). Your initiative in the sensitization of local communities and stakeholders against Child, Early and Forced Marriages is noble. Keep the fire burning.
Thanks for this enlightenment, our women and the girl child have been abused especially those in the forest zone, I wish to say that this enlightenment will continue until our people come to understand the effects of child marriage. we in the forest community will continue to support gender based programme for the liberation of our women.
Such a bold statement for the benefit of the women and girls. Congratulations for the good work
I sincerely thank the entire crew for sacrificing their comfort to educate the forest tribes about early marriage, an urgent issue that has persisted for a long time in the area. This odd issue has damaged the futures of many young people, particularly women. You’re all very welcome once more for your fantastic job.
This is really welcoming and commendable in a society like ours were many social vices has become a norm and detrimental to the girl child by abusing gender equality and promoting gender inequality. We all believe and hope that with this light shining in our society many of this norms will become history and our mothers as well as the right of the girl child will be preserved.
Well it is a welcome development to help nuture our young girls the reason they shouldn’t be allow to be given out as motherhood for the sack marriage. But the parents have a big work to be done to advert this early marriage of our young girls cause they are the pivot of saying NO to this menence if l may call it.
Good initiative
Job well done
The people of Iko Esai remain grateful for the knowledge acquired during the workshop.
We appreciate the funders & EGOT, the facilitator.
Our sincere regards.
A big thank you to EGOT and NWTF
Powerful this program will indeed served and bring positive change to our various society, women in their autonomous right deserves to have a Said in deferent clans an their voice should be hard
their pains should be detected.@(EGOT) the whole world is indeed impressed with your efforts towards this unfolding program we celebrate and appreciate you.
Good work, keep it up