A/Ibom partners Denmark, UNFPA to curtail gender-based violence

The Akwa Ibom state government has indicated its readiness to partner with the Danish government to promote the school meal programme for vulnerable children in selected schools.

The state government is also seeking collaboration with the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) to assist in reproductive health care programmes for women and campaigns against gender-based violence.

Governor Udom Emmanuel made this known in Uyo when he played host to the Danish Ambassador to Nigeria, Sune Krogstrup in the company of Elizabeth Ulla Mueller, Resident Representative, United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), in his office.

Governor Emmanuel, who acknowledged the initiative of the School Meal for children, noted that the state governments should be involved at the initial stage of the scheme where necessary contributions can be made to generate the projected impact and results of the project.

“I am glad to hear about the funding of the school meals programme, great idea but I will love a situation where State Government will also be carried along in this programme because I don’t know the design of the programme, it is just super-imposed and being implemented on a state, I think we need to rejig that scheme and look at the structure and then let’s collaborate; let’s partner and make this scheme work well because we are not feeling the impact”.

Read also: Why quality education eludes Nigerian child- expert

The governor also assured UNFPA of collaboration to minimise Gender-Based Violence (GBV) stating that the State Government has signed into law Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP), to tackle all forms of violence against persons, provide maximum protection for victims and punishment of offenders.

He said the state government is making concerted efforts to end GBV as the wife of the governor, Martha Emmanuel through her pet project Family Empowerment and Youth Reorientation Path Initiative (FEYRep), is leading in the campaign against all forms of violence against any gender. He also informed that the state government was building a Gender-Based Violence Centre to be inaugurated this year.

“We want to let you know that we have signed various laws to support the protection of a girl child and child abuse in the state. We’re now at an advanced stage of building a GBV centre in the state that will compete favourably with others; I hope to commission that this September”.

“I acknowledge the contributions of Denmark as a country in ending gender-based violence and as a state, we are serious about it. We take a personal interest in this. We want to minimise this violence and other forms of domestic violence”, the governor assured.

Emmanuel further solicited collaboration and support from the Danish government in the area of maritime security to curb the challenges in the state’s shoreline and thanked them for showing concern about generating data for the population in the country.

The ambassador of Denmark, Sune Krogstrup, said his visit to the state was to assess the impact of the ongoing School Feeding project and School Farms for School Meals (SF4SM). He said Denmark was set to fund the feeding programme in the state, which aims at improving the nutrition of children.

“Another reason for my visit is to visit a Danish funded programme called School Farm for School Meal in Akwa Ibom State. Denmark has decided to fund the programme in selected schools in Akwa Ibom, targeting the most vulnerable children”.

The envoy noted that Denmark shares the same objectives with UNFPA in the fight for the right of women and girls and ways to minimise gender-based violence and conflicts.

Krogstrup also said that Denmark was ready to partner with the state in areas of food, agriculture and maritime security and thanked Governor Emmanuel for a warm reception accorded the team.

Also speaking, the resident representative, United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), Elizabeth Ulla Mueller, thanked Emmanuel for his contributions which she noted were a demonstration of his commitment to the collaboration with UNFPA towards reducing maternal mortality, encouraging family planning and minimising gender-based violence.

Mueller called for support in conducting a population census in Nigeria which she noted was long overdue, adding that it will help the government make an informed decision on how to direct their social investments to yield the desired results.