By our Correspondent
The UNICEF and Katsina State Government have trained 50 adolescent girls across selected local government areas of state to promote peace and resilience in the communities.
The 2-day training in Katsina was also to promote girls enrollment in schools, retention and completion of their education.
The training was organised by UNICEF in collaboration with the state’s Development Management Board, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, and the Universal Basic Education Board.
Mrs Ngozi Izuora-Songu, the UNICEF Adolescent Development Specialist, said the training aimed to promote sustainable peace through voices of the young people, especially the girls.
“In crisis situations, women and girls are most affected; therefore, the training is to empower them with knowledge to be able to contribute their voices towards peace in their communities.
“It is also to equip them to ensure they provide peace when there is conflict, clarity in the midst of confusion, and understanding where there’s disagreement.
“Our role as women and girls, is to ensure that wherever we find ourselves, we’re able to bring people together, not to disorganise them,” she said.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the state’s Development Management Board, Dr Mustapha Shehu, advised the participants to pay attention to the training.
He said that the training would enable them to support the school enrollment, retention and completion in their respective communities.
One of the facilitators, Ms Halima Dimis, said that the training would strengthen leadership, advocacy, and communication skills of the adolescent girls.
She said it would also promote gender equality and awareness on ending Gender Based Violence (GBV), as well as enable the understanding of peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and social cohesion.
“At the end of this exercise, the training is expected to support adolescent-led peace action plans across the participating LGAs,” Dimis said.
Earlier, Mr Kabir Nadada, the UNICEF Focal Person at the Ministry of Education, called on the participants to be serious with the training as they are expected to become peace ambassadors.
He urged them to also ensure they stepped down the training to their communities.
At the end of the training, an Adolescent Peace Ambassadors Unit is expected to be established across each of the 10 participating local government areas. (GSF)
