SOS Children’s Villages trains 105 youths in Lagos

By Abiodun Azi

The SOS Children’s Villages (SOS CV), an NGO,  on Wednesday trained 105 youths in Lagos on Peacebuilding, Mitigation, Human Rights, Gender and Participation, Training for Youths on Eye Witness reporting (Citizen Journalism).

Ms Grace Sambo, Technical Officer, EU-SDGN/SOS, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday that the training was part of the activities implemented by SOS under the EU-SDGN project.

Sambo said that SOS CV Nigeria’s key deliverables’  specific objective 3 (SO3) included  “To transform cultural and societal norms, values and behaviours to reduce violence, support dialogue and negotiation, and address the fundamental causes of electoral and other conflicts in six states (representing the six geopolitical zones)”.

She said that the project was taking place  in six states (representing the six geopolitical zones) Oyo, Rivers, Imo, Benue, Kaduna and Borno State and Lagos state.

She said that the essence was to strengthen the capacity, participation and representation of youths in the promotion of peaceful and non-violent electoral process.

“Participants will be informed on how to accurately report events to appropriate media platforms

“Participants will learn how to identify and verify false information before sharing on social media platforms.

“To build the capacity of youths in peacebuilding and civic participation in the promotion of peaceful and non-violent electoral process.

“To encourage youths participation and stakeholders’ engagement towards a violent-free and credible elections in the State.

“To set up youth peer educators that will facilitate/train other youths in their communities and continuous training through the street multiplier method” she said.

Sambo said that the youth community groups were drawn from Oshodi and Ikeja Local Government Areas (LGAs) because the project covered  the two LGAs in Lagos state

She, therefore,  strongly recommended that  youths should actively participate in electoral processes.

She was of the opinion that youth participation would expose them to national issues and create a deep sense of responsibility toward national development.

She said that the facilitators for the training were experts in the two fields who had undergone  procurement processes and topped the list.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two sessions exposed the participants to peace building, how to become peace advocates, citizen journalism and how to use it among others.

(NAN)