The Neighbourhood Environment Watch (NEW) Foundation has trained Presidents-General of town unions from the three senatorial zones of Enugu State as part of efforts to strengthen community leadership and accelerate the fight against Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
The strategic training, held on June 8, 2026 brought together the Presidents-General to deepen their understanding of gender equality, promote women's participation in decision-making processes and strengthen community-based interventions aimed at ending all forms of GBV.
The programme focused on equipping the community leaders with the knowledge and tools required to challenge harmful social norms, promote inclusive leadership and champion the rights of women and girls across their respective communities.
Speaking during the training, the Executive Director of the NEW Foundation, Dr. Kelechukwu Okezie, described the fight against gender-based violence as a collective responsibility that requires the active involvement of men and community leaders.
According to him, men can no longer afford to remain passive in the face of rising cases of GBV, stressing that Presidents-General, as grassroots influencers and mobilisers, occupy a strategic position in driving behavioural change and fostering safer communities.
Okezie urged the town union leaders to commit themselves to ensuring that perpetrators of gender-based violence are not allowed to operate within their communities.
He said the training also sought to deepen participants' understanding of feminism as a framework for equity, dignity and justice, while highlighting the critical role of male allies in building more inclusive and equitable societies.
The Executive Director noted that community structures remain vital platforms for promoting positive social change and amplifying women's voices in leadership and decision-making.
Participants engaged in reflective discussions and shared learning sessions on leveraging existing community institutions to advance gender equality and strengthen community ownership of anti-GBV initiatives.
A key outcome of the engagement was the commitment by the Presidents-General to champion gender equality within their communities and replicate the training through existing town union structures across the three senatorial zones of the state.
Chairman of the Enugu State Council of Presidents-General of Town Unions, Hon. Chief Arinze Nnia Ogbodo, who spoke on behalf of the participants during the vote of thanks, pledged the support of the Presidents-General in working closely with the NEW Foundation to eliminate gender-based violence in the state.
Ogbodo assured that the knowledge gained during the training would be cascaded to communities across the state, expressing confidence that Enugu could become the first state in the South-East, and possibly Nigeria, to record significant success in eliminating GBV.
He disclosed that the Enugu State Government was aware of the training and remained committed to efforts aimed at ending gender-based violence.
According to him, the combined efforts of government, community leaders and civil society organisations would help create safer communities where women and men can participate equally in development and leadership.
The training underscored the importance of engaging traditional and community institutions as critical partners in driving social norm change and advancing gender justice at the grassroots level.
