The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs has commenced training of gender desk officers of the scheme on promoting gender equality.
Addressing delegates at the opening ceremony of the training on Friday at the FCT NYSC permanent orientation camp Kubwa, the Director General Brigadier Shuaib Ibrahim said the training was in furtherance of the scheme’s commitment to mainstreaming gender in its operation.
The DG who was represented by the Director ICT, Mrs Christy Uba, said the scheme has been sensitising members of the general public on gender equality through the activities of the Corps Gender Vanguards, adding that this has contributed immensely to the efforts to curb gender-based violence and discrimination amongst other ills.
“Our commitment was further illustrated through the full participation of NYSC with a hundred corps members in a programme organised to commemorate the 63rd International Women’s Day (IWD) in Abuja in 2019.
“I wish to remind you that gender equality is not only a human rights issue but also a key feature of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Goal Five, which requires the support of all and sundry, including policy makers. This is why NYSC accords priority to capacity building for its Gender Desk Officers,” he said.
He revealed that the ministry of Women Resources provided the resource materials on gender mainstreaming among other forms of support, while promising that the management would continue to give necessary support for the successful performance of the officers’ duties.
