Kwali: AEIG takes anti-SGBV awareness to students at GSS Yangoji

By Stanley Onyekwere

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Abiodun Essiet Initiative for Girls(AEIG), yesterday took anti Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) sensitisation campaign to students of Government Secondary School (GSS) in Yangoji community, in Kwali Area Council of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in order to further strengthen efforts at mitigating the menace in the Territory.

In particular, the NGO during the programme tagged: “SGBV awareness programme in high schools in Abuja”, sensitised  no fewer than 200 students on the various forms of SGBV and how to effectively  assist tackle SGBV cases emanating from the learning environment or their homes.

Explaining the awareness initiative, AEIG Project Officer, Josephine Emeghoghena, who represented the Founder of the NGO, Mrs. Abiodun Essiet, said it aims at curbing school related sexual and gender-based violence and raising anti-GBV Ambassadors.

Emeghoghena added that the GSS Yangoji, is part of the 6 schools approved by the FCT Secondary Education Board (SEB) for the NGO to cover across the six area councils, as part of AEIG’s empowerment project for the promotion of the rights FCT Original Inhabitants, which started in 2022, is being powered by the MacArthur Foundation, through  Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED).

According to her, it is very  necessary to sensitise students on  SGBV, so as to help them know their rights and the importance of speaking up against the menace. 

On her part, the school Principal, A. Rukayyat, commended the NGO for bringing the sensitisation campaign to the students within their learning environment, as it will no doubt empower and reposition them to help combat the menace.

Highlight of the event was the nomination and inauguration of five students as the NGO’s Anti-GBV Ambassadors in the school.