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From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has flagged off its humanitarian response in Benue State with the donation of 2000 dignity kits and Inter-Agency Reproductive Health (IARH) kits to the Benue state government.
The deputy governor of the state, Dr. Sam Ode, received the kits on behalf of the state government. Speaking during the flag-off ceremony at the office of State Emergency Management Agency, (SEMA) in Makurdi, Humanitarian Coordinator of UNFPA Nigeria, Chris Sabum Macauley, expressed the organization’s commitment to support the most vulnerable population in Benue State.
Macauley said the donation was meant to provide life-saving support for the wellbeing and dignity of women and girls in the state, particularly the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
In addition to the donation of essential kits, UNFPA through its implementing partners, Nigeria Red Cross Society (NRCS) and Royal Heritage Health Foundation (RHHF), is also supporting the Benue State government with capacity building initiatives targeting healthcare workers, social workers, and community volunteers.
He disclosed that 50 healthcare workers, 40 social workers, and 25 community volunteers were receiving specialized training to enhance their skills in gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response, as well as provision of quality sexual and reproductive healthcare services, including safe delivery, clinical management of rape, Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care, family planning and careline referral services.
According to him, the capacity building programme is designed to empower local frontline workers and volunteers to better address the unique needs of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who are mostly women and girls and are presently in IDP camps and host communities.
He said: “By strengthening the knowledge and skills of healthcare providers, social workers, and community volunteers, UNFPA aims to improve access to quality services related to GBV prevention, response, and sexual and reproductive health care.
“UNFPA is dedicated to promoting the health, rights, and dignity of women and girls, especially in humanitarian settings. Through our partnership with the Benue State government and local stakeholders, we aim to build a more resilient and responsive system that prioritizes the needs of women and girls affected by crisis,” he added.
“The launch of UNFPA’s humanitarian support in Benue marks a significant step towards addressing the multifaceted challenges faced by women and girls in the state.
“By providing essential kits and building the capacity of local healthcare workers, social workers, and community volunteers, UNFPA is working to ensure that every woman and girl in Benue has access to quality sexual and reproductive healthcare which contributes to the transformative goal of eliminating maternal deaths, removing barriers to unmet need for family planning and eliminating gender-based violence and harmful practices in Benue State.”
The Deputy Governor appreciated the UNFPA team for its commitment to supporting displaced communities in the state and for the donation of the lifesaving commodities.
