Anambra East Local Government Area has commenced sensitisation programmes on female genital mutilation, sex education, early child marriage, importance of education and skill acquisition for victims of flood disaster at the Internally Displaced Persons Camp, Udabor Umueri.
The programme, which will cut across the 11 holding centres in the local government, is one of the three action-plans by the local government initiated to empower women and girls by providing them with necessary information and knowledge on how they can improve their lives and that of their communities.
Following human displacements, livelihood disruptions, infrastructural damage, farmland destructions, as well as environmental challenges since last month, victims of the flood disaster in Anambra and other parts of the country left their homes to various holding centres for safety from the flood disaster which observers said is comparable to that of 2012 flood.
Transition committee chairman of Anambra East Local Government Area, Dr. Anslem Onuorah, who explained that everything humanly possible is being done to provide minimum comfort for the victims, said that the sensitisation programme is part of the initiatives to engage the people meaningfully while at the holding camps.
The Africa Child Social Empowerment Centre, a non-governmental organization, consulted for the programme, led by its Executive Director, Ms Chisom Ukwuoma, discouraged female genital mutilation practices, teenage pregnancies and early child marriage, because of its psychological problems and other effects on the women, while educating them on the importance of education and skills acquisition.
The Udabor Umueri Camp Manager, Mrs. Ngozi Udeozor and a flood disaster victim, Mrs. Chiamaka Okafor, appreciated organisers of the programme for the empowerment and the knowledge garnered.
Source: National Light
