Norway donates N3.6bn to victims of Boko Haram
Norway has donated $11.5m
approximately N3.6bn to improve basic education, support girls and women
who have been victims of sexual violence by Boko Haram in
conflict-affected northeast states.
The United Nation’s Children Fund Chief
of Communication, Ms Doune Porter, in a statement on Saturday said that
the benefiting states are; Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Gombe.
She said that the fund was part of the Safe Schools Initiative in the northern Nigeria.
She said that in 2013, Norway was a
pioneer member of the Safe Schools Initiative Committee established in
response to Boko Haram attacks on schools in the areas.
Porter said that UNICEF, however, noted
that there was an urgent need to provide a safe learning environment for
children in northeast.
She said that through the support of
UNICEF about 100,000 children were currently accessing education through
Temporary Learning Spaces and schools in northeast Nigeria.
“This fund would further boost access to
education for an additional half a million boys and girls in internally
displaced persons’ camps, host communities and areas of Borno that have
become accessible to humanitarian assistance.’’
Porter quoted Jens-Petter Kjemprud,
Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria in the statement as saying that: “We
believe in the importance of doing what we can to break the cycle of
violence in northeast Nigeria.
“This funding will provide more children
complete basic education in a good learning environment and will
provide much-needed counselling for girls who have suffered unimaginable
trauma in the hands of Boko Haram,” Kjemprud said.
Also, Norwegian Foreign Minister, Mr
Børge Brende said that the generous funding from Norway would provide
children, especially girls affected by the conflict, with uniforms to
wear to schools.
He said that the fund would also enable them to learn in secure, safe and protected environment.
He said that teachers would be trained
to improve their skills, so they could deliver quality teaching and
improve learning results for children.
According to him, school systems will be
improved through training and mentoring of head-teachers on management
knowledge and skills.
Brende stressed that School Based
Management Committee (SBMCs) members would be trained in school
planning; including disaster risk reduction to make schools a safer
place for children.
“The funding will also support
approximately 1,600 of the thousands of girls and women that UNICEF
estimates have been raped, abducted and forcibly married as a result of
the conflict.
“Not only have these victims of violence suffered the trauma of their experiences when they were held by Boko Haram,
“But when they have managed to escape or have been liberated, they often face rejection by their communities and families.
“Instead of the escaped victims of
violence being welcomed back, they frequently face stigma,
discrimination, and in some cases violence, especially when they return
pregnant or with children born out of that sexual violence.
“In addition to traditional stigma
associated with sexual violence, many communities are afraid that girls
and women who have been held by Boko Haram may have been indoctrinated
by their captors.
“Part of the Norwegian funds will be
used in Borno to help these women and girls to reintegrate with their
families and communities and rebuild their lives.
“The funding will also help to empower
these women and girls to engage in the community peace building process,
‘’Porter quoted the Norwegian Foreign Minister as saying in the
statement.
Similarly, Mohamed Fall, UNICEF Nigeria
Representative explained that tackling the crisis in northeast Nigeria
required a broad coalition of support from all.
“The Government of Norway was with us at the beginning of this crisis, providing support, and they are still here.
“ This latest funding will go a long way
to get thousands of children back in school and will help to
reintegrate girls and women who are victims of Boko Haram back into
their communities.”
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