Kaduna: Int’l Alert trains 50 on PFA

Kaduna: Int’l Alert trains 50 on PFA

http://www.newsportng.com.ng NGO, international Alert (IA) in collaboration with the Kaduna Ministry of Human Services and Social Development has trained 50 Kaduna residents on Psychosocial First Aid. (PFA)

The ongoing two days program, held in Kaduna on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively aimed to equip participants with relevant skills as first responders to survivors of sexual and gender based violence, (SGBV) in their communities.

Speaking at the program on Wednesday, the Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Officer, International Alert, Fatima Inusa said that the training seeks to enhance and promote effective referral pathways for SGBV survivors when it occurs, adding that the survivors sometimes do not know where to seek solace when they are affected.

Inusa stressed that the responders include persons from security agencies, safe space facilitators, human rights commission and community leaders.

“This training aimed to bring the network of first responders together so that when there’s an event of SGBV collectively and within the referral pathways survivors can get the required services that they need ensuring that survivors are not exposed to further harm because when a case is reported and it goes to the wrong person for instance, it jeopardizes justice and the mental health also of the survivors.

“So this training is bringing all stakeholders together to ensure that we have a uniform referral pathways collecting data, ensuring that even when we collect information from survivors we respect their rights to privacy, enhance their dignity as well as their safety.

“We have 50 participants within Chikun LGA from two communities, Juji Community as well as Maraban-rido. What we want to see happen in these Communities is to see that they take this issue of survivors seriously in most cases, you have attention more on perpetrators talking about punishment and all of that while survivors also need care.” She said.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after the event, the consultant facilitator, Esther Olumidara, stated that the idea of the training is to reach people from the grassroots as much as some other agencies.

Stressing the importance of the program, Esther reiterated that there is need for more agencies, organizations and people to be equipped with the skills for PFA so that they can be stable to access other health and from that point know other efforts that are important to them.

She urged the participants to ensure that they step down the message to the grassroots in their various communities while charging them to remain professional in carrying out the task especially in the area of confidentiality.

One of the participants, Faith Thadeus on lessons learned said that the program is apt, enriching and educating.

She added that the program has taught her on how to offer PFA support to SGBV survivors professionally without any cause for alarm. Faith stressed that the message would be stepped down to her family members, friends, love ones and other members of the community within her reach.

Kaduna: Int’l Alert trains 50 on PFA