Group expresses commitment to help ASWHAN in accessing services

Members of the Association of Women Living with HIV in Nigeria (ASWHAN)  can now heave a sigh of relief as United Nations Women expressed their commitment to help them  access care and other services to ensure their wellbeing.

The group also pledged to support the members  to participate in governance processes, not just within the HIV response but in the community generally.

Acting deputy country representative of UN Women Nigeria , Mrs Patience Ekeoba,  who disclosed this at a two-day advocacy training for ASWHAN in Asaba, said there was the need to prioritisse domestic funding from government institutions, the organised private sector, foundations and charity organisations to support the cause of women living with HIV.

Mrs Ekeoba noted that women living with HIV in Nigeria face significant challenges, including stigma, discrimination and inadequate access to healthcare and social protection services.

According to her,  the training which was attended by representatives from 18 states in Southern Nigeria was aimed at equipping participants with the knowledge and skills needed to articulate and carry out effective advocacy for women living with HIV.

She noted that the training was also designed to enable participants further understand the advocacy steps and strategies elaborated in the community-led advocacy toolkit developed by the UN Women.

Ekeoba explained that the toolkit provided a practical framework for engaging in effective, grassroots-level advocacy, adding that participants are expected to develop state-specific advocacy action plans with clearly identified targets, timelines and expected outcomes.

”UN Women is committed to supporting ASWHAN in promoting the rights and empowerment of women living with HIV. The advocacy training aims to enhance the knowledge and skills of participants in articulating and carrying out effective advocacy for women living with HIV.

”The training is part of a larger effort to support women living with HIV in Nigeria, including the development of a community-led advocacy toolkit, ” she said.

Ekeoba urged the participants to utilise the knowledge and skills gained from the training to advocate services that would improve the lives and livelihoods of women living with HIV and their families.

“No woman should be left behind and it is through collective action and advocacy that we can work towards a more equitable and just society for all,” she stated.

In his remarks, the state Commissioner for Women Affairs, Community and Social Development, Princess Pat Ajudua, noted that advocacy was not just an option, but a necessity.

Audra, represented by the Director of Women Development and Gender Affairs at the ministry, Dr Faith Okpohworho, said social and health workers across Nigeria play a critical role in bridging the gap between policy and the people.

The resource person, Martin Falana, engaged  the participants on various topics, including introduction to advocacy and role of ASHWAN, identifying issues for advocating and developing an advocacy plan.

Some of the participants commended UN Women for the initiative, saying the training had helped to build more confidence in them.

”Whether you are working in underserved communities, hospitals, Internally Displaced Persons Camps (IDP), correctional facilities, schools or health outreach programmes, your impact cannot be overstated. That is why this training is so vital. It aims to sharpen your skills, strengthen your voice and position you as agent of transformation in your communities,” she said.

The resource person, Martin Falana, engaged  the participants on various topics, including introduction to advocacy and role of ASHWAN, identifying issues for advocating and developing an advocacy plan.

Some of the participants commended UN Women for the initiative, saying the training had helped to build more confidence in them.

Communication Officer for ASHWAN in the state, Mrs Dorcas Owhoiero said: ” This training has afforded me another opportunity to sharpen my skills advocacy.’’

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