TheCable

The Emmanuel Osemota Foundation (EOF), a non-governmental organisation, has sensitised women in rural communities in Edo state against human trafficking.

In a statement on Saturday, the NGO said it is sensitising and empowering local women through grassroots education and high-quality healthcare outreach to forestall the dangers facing women in the community.

The organisation said the dangers include female genital mutilation (FGM), gender-based violence (GBV), violence against women and girls (VAWG), human trafficking and child marriage.

The Emmanuel Osemota Foundation noted that despite the progress in women’s rights movement worldwide, many regions still suffer from the perils of inequality.

“The list of gender-based issues in Nigeria is daunting, but we’re proud to stand for women’s safety and empowerment through tangible aid and on-the-ground support,” said Emmanuel Osemota, founder of the EOF and a US-based Nigerian epidemiologist.

“For decades, we’ve worked to address what we see as the root cause of women’s inequality: unemployment and lack of education.

“To achieve women’s empowerment, the EOF is hyper-focused on eliminating safety risks before they happen through increased access to critical resources. Here’s how the organisation views the full scope of this issue.

“Unlike western nations, it is relatively uncommon for women in Edo state to seek employment. As a result, they cannot build sustainable futures, must rely on men for resources, and cannot confidently escape dangerous situations.

“This is especially true in rural regions, where women often feel powerless against traditional practices like FGM and child marriages.

“In some cases, women are lured into human trafficking schemes with the promise of a better life in foreign countries. This desperation is rooted in a lack of opportunities in their communities.

“If you trace the series of events that lead to harm against women, you’ll find that unemployment plays a significant role, and to be employed, a person must be educated.”

Osemota said the goal of the NGO is to provide tangible, actionable support, while the foundation sees women’s education as a pillar of its outreach.

He said this can be achieved through early childhood educational outreach and by establishing entrepreneurship programmes for adult women.

“When women become business owners, they unlock opportunities they could never have imagined,” Osemota said.

“As important as childhood education is, we firmly believe that women of any age can improve their lives through learning.

“Finally, a vital component of the EOF’s work is public awareness campaigns that teach girls and women about their values and worth.

“One of such programmes is ‘Girl Child Initiative: Invest in A Girl, Power the Future’ where the EOF informs the public about human trafficking.

“Another is ‘The Entrepreneurship Project to Educate, Empower and Employ’ where women and girls can learn about financial opportunities to accomplish their dreams.

“Women’s empowerment won’t happen overnight in Edo State, but we are taking the necessary steps to build that foundation.

“In the future, I see a world where women in the region are not only safer and happier but can also sustain lives of abundance for themselves and their children.”