The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, UN Women, has trained and empowered 300 vulnerable Nigerian women residing in Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps and those living with HIV/AIDS.

National Programme Officer, UN Women Nigeria, Mrs. Patience Ekeoba made the disclosure yesterday at the graduation ceremony and presentation of start-off packs to 100 Benue women who were trained by the Benue Non-Government Organization Network, BENGONET, under the auspices of the world body in Makurdi.

She said the programme tagged, “Economic Empowerment as a Catalyst for Reduction of HIV/Gender-Based Violence In Conflict-Affected Areas in Nigeria is a component of the United Nations AIDS Unified Budget, Results and Accountability Framework, UBRAF.”

According to her “the project commenced in 2018 and since then, we have had three rounds of the economic empowerment programme conducted for selected women and girls in conflict-affected areas.

“The first phase for 100 women was conducted in Kaduna and the FCT Abuja, the second phase of another 100 was done in Benue state and we conducted the third phase in Benue because of the need we saw in the state during the second phase.” Mrs. Ekeoba said the women were trained on “HIV prevention, treatment, management and control including reproductive health and Gender Based Violence, GBV, financial literacy and business skill and basic business training (vocational skill).”

Earlier Coordinator of BENGONET, Mrs Rachael Iltyozungul said the programme was part of the efforts of the UN Women to touch the lives of the neglected vulnerable population living in IDPs camps in the state. On her part, wife of the Benue state Governor, Mrs. Eunice Ortom represented by the wife of the Chief of Staff to the Governor Mrs. Kashimana Orbunde commended the efforts of the UN Women to uplift the condition of women globally.