Mainstream gender in your programmes, USAID S2S Activity charges GESI Desk Officers in Gombe
The need to have an all inclusive society in governance and decision making process was the focus of a two day training on gender equality and social inclusion GESI mainstreaming for gender desk officers from priority Ministries Departments and Agencies and target Local Government Areas.
The training was organised by the United States Agency for International Development Nigeria State Accountability,Transparency and Effectiveness State to State Activity Gombe Field Office held at the Emerald Royal Hill Hotel Gombe.
Participants at the workshop which included representative of civil society organisations, Persons with Disability, described the training as a good learning experience on Gender inclusion.
According to the participants ,they have now learnt the need to all come together to make Gombe better and greater.
In an interview with Periscope Nigeria, Dr Ishaku Adamu Gombe, the Gombe State Chairperson of Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities said, “I have learnt gender mainstreaming in all programmes and to consider diverse groups of people in decision making and citizens engagement in budgeting.”
Miriam Andrew from the Ministry of Water Resources explained that “inclusion brings massive change in the society and also improves public service delivery in our society and the government as a whole.”
“The two day training has added more knowledge to me especially gender budgeting, gender principles,” According to the Gombe State Chairperson Association of Non Governmental Organisations (ANGO) Ibrahim Yusuf.
Earlier in an opening remarks, the S2S Gombe State Team Lead Alhaji Mohammad Abubakar, said the training is to create awareness on gender mainstreaming to have an inclusive state.
He said the training will be interactive and engaging calling on the participants to ensure active participation.
Outlining the objectives of the training, the S2S GESI coordinator Chabiyada Eli, said is to increase understanding and knowledge of GESI concepts and principles, to equip participants with practical skills and methodologies for mainstreaming GESI in their respective organisational policies, program and project and to promote the sharing of best practices and lessons learned in GESI mainstreaming across different sectors and organisations.
She also highlighted on the appropriate gender teams and languages to be used by participants and urged them to GESI advocates
In a Presentation the S2S GESI Advisor Kusan Niyang, highlighted on Gender and Social Inclusion and the different lenses to look at social inclusion.
She said mainstreaming gender goes beyond increasing women’s participation, it means bringing the experience, knowledge and interest of women ,men,to bear on the development agenda.
The goal she said is the transformation of unequal social and institutional structures into equal and just structures for both men and women.
The GESI Advisor added that to achieve the goal, there is need for collaboration,teamwork and togetherness of stakeholders to speak with one voice.
“Do no harm!,everyone is equal and has equal access to and utilization of services, Involvement in decision making. Ensure equal treatment is Integrated into every process,” Niyang added.
The Gombe S2S Local Governance Manager Hajiya Zariyatu Abubakar Hashidu, spoke on inclusive citizens, adding that it requires creating opportunities for all members of the community to participate in activities.
She said it involves transparent,open communications as well as intentional outreach to groups that may have historically been excluded from decision making process.
Also, the Public Finance Management Mr Owolutosin Oke, who gave a presentation on gender responsive and inclusive PFM said the sustainable development goals clearly highlighted the importance of linking gender equality with financing.
He said there was growing recognition that public budgeting decisions and public systems can affect the economic and social outcomes of men and women differently thus the introduction of gender responsive PFM.
There were also Presentations on International and national regulatory framework, disability inclusion in programming, GESI sensitive conflict Management, GESI sensitive communication guidelines,GESI standards for mainstreaming among others.
Participants were engaged in group exercise and development of action plan .
