Ending GBV: Women coalition trains Ebonyi teachers
From Ruth Oginyi
To step down knowledge on the effects of gender-based violence on teens in rural communities, a group coalition for the promotion of women’s rights has established SRHR/GBV prevention club in five secondary schools in the Ezza south council area of Ebonyi state.
The group set up the club during a one-day capacity-building training for teachers and students on Wednesday, February 22nd, 2023.
The inauguration of the SRHR/GBV prevention club by the coalition for the promotion of women’s rights was in collaboration with the women’s International League of peace and freedom under the safer world project.
Speaking at the event, Otu-ago Osborne the program officer coalition for the promotion of women’s rights in Ebonyi state noted that the teachers and principals who have been equipped with knowledge on gbv will guide the students who are the club members.
He emphasized that the students would help to pass the message to their peers and in their various homes by so doing gbv will be reduced if not eliminated.
Osborne said while the government is working on ending Gbv, CSOs also need to join the fight.
“We brought teachers and students together because looking at what is happening in the society rape, child defilement is on the increase on daily basis, wife battering, trafficking and all sort of gbv is on the increase so there is need to tackle it from the school
we believe that when you get them young and give them the right information they will make an informed choice.
We are doing it in the schools and at the same time have our family life trainers in the various communities.
We are working in five communities in Ezza south and working in five schools in these communities so family life trainers are going into the villages and having focus group discussions with the people.
we are also in a school where the teachers supervised the students. The teachers and the principals are the ones to handle the club members.
Earlier, Esther Uroh the state coordinator for the coalition for the promotion of women’s rights in Ebonyi State, said the club will integrate the knowledge gathered into the rural populace.
She urged the club members to raise against the challenges facing society by reporting cases of gbv so that the perpetrators will be arrested.
Adding that the students should see themselves as change agents.
“When you get to the school you set up the club I know from time to time we come for monitoring and encourage your peers to report the perpetrators by so doing we have this information passed down to the families”.
A recourse person Isreal Queen in her presentation said the training is aimed at having a dialogue on gbv prevention and response. She identified spiritual violence as one of the forms of gbv mostly practised in the community and urged the students to speak up against evil.