Efficiency: Nigerian Army Organises Gender Mainstreaming Workshop
By Onuminya Innocent In Sokoto
Nigerian Army said it will ensure gender Mainstreaming in all its operations to achieve efficiency and enhance professionalism in the service.
The General Officer Command (GOC) 8th Division Sokoto Maj. Gen Uwen Bassey stated this on Monday in Sokoto while declaring the maiden sensitization workshop on gender Mainstreaming for enhanced professionalism in the Nigerians Army opened.
Represented by his chief of staff Brig Gen Mohammed Abdullahi , Maj Gen Uwen said the aim of the workshop was to ensure that Army personnel were abreast with the global best practices on gender issues.
He stated that the workshop was organised by the department of civil military affairs in collaboration with the British Defence Section , West Africa.
According to Gen Uwen Nigerian Army was always confronted with gender issue Mainstreaming in Internal and International operations .
On his part Acting Director information management Department of Civil Military Affairs Nigerian Army Col Kayode Ogunsanya said the workshop is in tandem with the chief of Army Staff’s vision to have professional Nigerian Army ready to accomplish assigned missions within the joint environment in defence of the country.
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“At the end of this workshop pertinent issues that pertain gender Mainstreaming International humanitarian laws and all the fundamentals of human rights would have been well spelt out to the troops he added.
He further explained that if the troops are armed with that knowledge they will be freed from unnecessary infractions, particularly those that pertain to sexual exploitation , abuse and other isolated infractions.
He maintained that the workshop is collaborative project with the British Defence Section West Africa and it is going to provide the opportunity for the participants to be sensitized to gender Mainstreaming and other modus of fundamental rights related process.
Also speaking gender advisor , Nigerian Army Major Janet Osamgbi said Nigerian Army is committed to the implementation of the United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 on gender equality.
Osamgbi noted that after the workshop gender Mainstreaming would be felt across all activities in defence adding that civilians were at the Centre of all conflicts that military engaged in .
She stressed that gender Mainstreaming in the military would make the military operations more effective.
She further explained that the workshop was meant to sensitize personnel on how to perform on the field without gender stereotyping.
According to her the workshop was organised to guide officers and soldiers on the implementation of gender policy of Nigerian Army .
