By Christy Tamai
The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Plateau State Chapter, has reaffirmed its commitment to members’ welfare and the empowerment of women and girls through a menstrual hygiene awareness campaign, capacity-building sessions, and the unveiling of its state uniform as part of activities marking one year of the current leadership.
Speaking during the event themed “Build Capacity, Sustain Value, Multiply Impact,” the Chairperson of NAWOJ Plateau State, Grace Akwe Gotip, said the association has remained steadfast in prioritising the welfare and support of its members since assuming office by establishing a dedicated welfare committee.
According to her, NAWOJ’s mandate goes beyond journalism to include advocacy for vulnerable groups and victims of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), positioning the association as a voice for the voiceless in society.
As part of the anniversary activities, the association organised a menstrual hygiene awareness campaign and trained one hundred girls on menstrual health management, equipping them with knowledge to make informed decisions about their health and well-being.
Gotip expressed appreciation to the Plateau State Government, the Commissioners of Information and Communication, Women Affairs and Social Development, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Bagos Foundation, and other supporting partners for their unwavering support.
The training featured presentations by Longret Laurentian, Programme Manager with the Women and Girls Child Development Initiative, who spoke on “Menstrual Cycles and Unusual Changes,” and Jemimah Libere, who delivered a lecture on “The Onset of Menstruation in Girls.”
On the second day of the event, Ambassador Bridget Dakyes, Executive Director of the Women and Girls Child Rescue and Development Initiative and Chairperson of the Women, Peace and Security Network, facilitated a session on “Capacity Development for Social Enterprise,” challenging participants to embrace entrepreneurship and sustainable development initiatives.
Goodwill messages were delivered by several dignitaries, including the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Rt. Hon. Joyce Lohya Ramnap, represented by the Director of Research, Planning and Statistics, Hannatu Dushu; the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Caroline Panglang Dafur, represented by Bwehali Maren of the Women and Girls Safe Space, Bokkos; and the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Plateau State Council, Ayuku Pwaspo, among others.
The highlight of the celebration was the unveiling of the official NAWOJ Plateau State uniform and the distribution of sanitary pads to one hundred girls at the NUJ State Secretariat and the Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA) in Jos.
The event underscored NAWOJ’s dedication to promoting women’s welfare, championing the rights of vulnerable groups, and investing in the health and empowerment of the girl child across Plateau State.
