Group trains 40 women on documenting mass atrocities in Anambra

Authorities of a group, Alliances for Africa, a non-governmental organisation, tasked with documenting mass atrocities in the south-east, has trained 40 women on the nitty-gritty of reporting atrocities against women in their communities.

The training, which took place at Awka, on Saturday, drew participants from nooks and crannies of the three senatorial zones of the state.

The cascaded training was to ensure that the one year project, which is expected to wind up in March 2020, was sustained through a network of women volunteers, who would help monitor, track and report such incidences of rape, mass arrests, gender-based violence, and so on, against women.

Speaking during the occasion, Anambra State Coordinator, Ms Excellence Nwafor, reiterated the need for women to document and report mass atrocities against them in order to forestall reoccurrence.

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Nwafor, who highlighted the thematic areas of mass atrocities against women, told her audience that documenting atrocities would ensure that government and public office holders become more accountable and responsive to their duties.

While commending participants for their active participation during the programme, the state coordinator expressed optimism that the objectives the workshop would be achieved, even as she sought the cooperation of the women.

In a remark, the Zonal Coordinator of Anambra North, Mrs Ify Okonkwo, emphasised the importance of the project, particularly for women, and called on participants to treat the project with every sense of responsibility and diligence.

She cited cases of mass atrocities against women in recent time and stressed that proper documentation and reportage would help to abate such heinous crime against women.

In separate interviews, participants lamented the high rate of abuse of women in recent times and agreed that such an initiative would help to put everyone on their toes. They also commended the organisers of the event.