Internation Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria, has called for more budgetary allocation to gender sensitive and related issues towards countering Gender Based Violence (GBV) in Cross River state.
In a statement, the Country Vice/National President Amina Suzana Agbaje, made the call at a capacity building workshop held for 33 women rights/led organisations on gender responsive budgeting with support from UNWomen under the auspices of her spotlight initiative project on the 17th of June 2022.
According to the statement, the Program Officer, FIDA Nigeria Mrs Rita Lasoju, espoused participants on relevant gender issues and budgetary appropriations within the last three years in countering Gender Based Violence in the state.
“Through this training, civil society actors acquired good knowledge of gender responsive budgeting concepts and advocacy tools for mainstreaming same across various sectors in the state importance as it relates and protects their interests at the grass root and allow for inclusion and equal participation in socio-economic/development within the community and state.
“The trained advocates further expressed commitments to stepping down the knowledge gained and mobilize other women groups, networks, associations, disability groups etc in advocacy,” the statement noted.
“The aim was to demand inclusion, mainstream gender needs in 2023 Cross river state budget and demand accountability from the relevant state actors thus mitigating Gender Based Prevalence in their local communities, state and Nation,” the statement added.
Participants at the training included grassroots women, rights/led organization, women rights advocates, and civil society organisations.