Between 2015 and 2022, more than 82,722 women were trained in Information Communication Technology (ICT) and artisanship, among other things, according to Minister of Women Affairs Pauline Tallen.
She announced the 13th edition of the Federal Ministry of Information’s President Muhammadu Buhari Scorecard series in Abuja.
She stated that the Ministry, with the assistance of other Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs) and partners, trained women, children, and vulnerable groups in various skills as part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s empowerment strategy to lift 100 million people out of poverty.
She added, “144 women development centres have been reactivated across the country from 2015 to 2022, with 18,000 trained in regular vocational training, tailoring, catering, cosmetology, household hygiene and products.
“During the post-COVID-19, we trained 221 females in 18 states, while the Gender Start-Up Support Scheme for female entrepreneurs training in some states trained 430.
“Another 200 benefitted from training and empowerment of rehabilitated female drug users across the geopolitical zones, while 750 received training in the children vocational skills programme called Catch Them Young, and others learnt tailoring, cooking, housekeeping, interior decoration, self-esteem etiquette.
“The Women Economic Empowerment Programme trained 5,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), while there were ICT training courses for 850 and ICT for 190 female farmers.
“There was ICT training for 368 Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in mobile phones and laptop repairs, 40 female artisans for young girls in commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child 690.
“Training for 155 female mechanics, and ICT infrastructure training for youths, women and girls in the six geopolitical zones trained 293.”
The Minister added that the National Innovative Diploma Engineering Training had 44 beneficiaries, while ICT empowerment training for women and youths across the federation had 294.
She said “the Summer Holiday Training in ICT for children trained 280, giving us a total of 82,722 between 2015 and 2022.”
The Minister also stated that more than N8.4 billion has been disbursed to women in six states through the Economic Empowerment Programme – Nigeria for Women Project (NFWP).
On Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), Tallen said 34 states have so far domesticated the Child Rights Act and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition VAPP Act to eliminate the menace.
She explained that safe spaces had been established in the FCT and across 33 states for survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) to receive psycho-social support and learn skills to help them cope with the aftermath of such violence.
Tallen reiterated the commitment of the Ministry to addressing issues and concerns of women, children and vulnerable persons.
