As part of efforts to enhance knowledge about gender budgeting which will enable advocacy for accountability, the joint United Nations/European Union Spotlight Initiative and the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (WARDC), has held a two-day refresher training for Civil Society Organisations and the media.
The training, held in Lagos, was to educate CSOs and media on how to demand accountability from the government for budget allocation at all levels to cater for Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), Harmful Practices (HP), and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) interventions.
Speaking at the event organised by Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (WARDC) alongside the joint Initiative, Nigeria’s representative on the UN-CEDAW Committee and former Head of Gender for the Commonwealth Secretariat, Esther Eghobamien- Mshelia, said the training would enhance CSOs to demand a gender-responsive budget, which can only be achieved through partnership.
“We are not asking for a women’s budget, we are asking for a budget to respond to the needs of men, boys, girls, and women.”