From Austine Tule, Makurdi
United Nations Women (UN Women) through the Benue Non-governmental Organisation Network (BENGONET) has trained 100 women in various vocations in five Local Government Areas (LGAs), Benue.
The Coordinator, Women in Nigeria, Mrs Rachel Aondoakaa disclosed this on Monday in Makurdi during the 2020 International Women Day celebration.
The coordinator listed the areas in which they were trained to include cosmology, confectionery, beads making, make-up, hair tie making among others.
“They were drawn from Agatu, Guma, Gwer West, Logo and Makurdi LGAs. Each local government had 20 participants which makes it 100.
“All the women that were selected were HIV positive and gender based violence survivals. The aim is to enable them to be self reliant and financially independent.
“Women should not be looked down as second hand citizen in a home or nation at large.
“Women are the bed rock of the family and as such should be accorded the respect they deserve,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Tabitha Igirgi, said that women have same abilities as their male counterpart, stressing that if given higher responsibilities they would also do better.
Also, the Executive Secretary, Benue State Agency for the Control of Aids (BENSACA), Dr Gideon Dura, said that women are very essential to the society and must be involved in the development of the society.
“Without women nothing will be right,” he said.
The Representative, United Nations High Commission for Refugee, Mrs Beatrice Shomke, said that women would continue to advocate for equality in the society so long as discrimination against women persist in the society.
