A sexual reproductive health and rights, SRHR as well as inclusive SRHR laws and policies capacity building workshop has held in Calabar the Cross River state capital metropolis NEGROIDHAVEN can report authoritatively.
The two-day capacity building training which was organised by Girls Power Initiative, GPI Calabar Centre with support from HIVOS for key influencers and stakeholders to increase knowledge and share experiences on SRHR issues, according to the organisers, aimed at strengthening the capacity to advocate for the implementation of SRHR laws and policies in the state.
In her opening remark to the audience on Tuesday morning, Comfort Ikpi the head of GPI Calabar Centre who welcomed the attendees noted that the essence of selecting them is because they are key influencers in the sector of influence and that the programme intends that at at the end of the training they will use their status to advocate for certain right holders.
Her words, ‘The essence why you are selected is because we know that you are the key influencer in all the sectors. Like our media persons we don’t joke with them. I know that majority of the persons are from the media, and we know or assume that the media people they argue alot, the ask questions alot, they want to criticise, dissect, and the rest, just so that you get the right information that you need, that is fine.
‘But, I will also want to plead, as the caption goes, that is capacity building in this area, that though most of you have built your capacity I can assure you that there is always one thing to learn everyday, every time, no matter how much you have attended such training or you’ve had information about a particular subject, there is always something to learn each time you attend’ she said.
Continuing, Ikpi said that, ‘As we all know it all has to do with Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights of some of the right holders that we have decided to focus on as far as WeLead Project is concerned. During the overview of the project we will get to know more about the project and the right holders we are targeting in this project.’
On her part, Ndodeye Bassey-Obongha the head of programmes at GPI Calabar Centre disclosed that the capacity building training is a component of the ongoing WeLead Project in Cross River implemented in partnership with HIVOS. According to her WeLead is a new, inspiring and innovative programme which aims at improving the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of young women. She informed that the population of interest focuses on four specific groups of young women, namely, those living with HIV, those with disabilities, those who have diverse sexual orientation, and those affected by displacement.
Her words, ‘the programme puts these young women as rights holders in the driver’s seat while supporting them to make sustainable changes for their SRHR’, adding that the two-day capacity building training for key influencers and stakeholders is to increase their knowledge and share experiences on SRHR issues as well as strengthen their capacity to advocate for the implementation of SRHR laws and policies in the state.
The two days session which touched on values clarification; the general context of SRHR situation in Nigeria; laws, policies and administrative framework on SRHR; gender sensitive reporting of SRHR; and the role of media and other stakeholders in promoting SRHR had in attendance journalists, traditional rulers, civil servants and religious leaders.
EDITORIAL
This story amongst others are reviewed on Sparkling 92.3FM http://mixlr.com/sparkling923fm–2 and FAD 93.1FM. Again, opinions expressed on NegroidHaven are exclusively the author’s not NH’s.
