The event was on the 6th October 2008 with the theme for the year under review being “Harmonious Cities”, intended to raise awareness
about the problems of rapid urbanization, its impact on the environment, the growth of slums and the urbanization of poverty as more and more people move to cities for prospects of a better life.
The walk took place in the heart of Abuja and had in attendance members of FEDUP FCT chapter, a network of community members that was inaugurated to provide a base for networking community members to strategize on how they can live, work and own the process of the development of their domains, and provide a platform for government engagement with the communities and people in FCT.
December 2008 - WEP and COHRE organized three community training workshops in Abuja for residents of informal settlements who are facing forced eviction or who have already been forcibly evicted. The goal of the workshops was to provide residents with information on their basic rights under international and domestic law, as well as advocacy strategies. The areas of coverage included: Northwest – Idu, Karmo, Jiwa and other settlements; Airport road – Lugbe, Chika, Gosa, Sauka, Sabon Lugbe, and other settlements; Southwest – Apo, Durumi, Wasa and other settlements not yet evicted.
The workshops had more than 50 participants per venue bringing the number of trainees to 180.
December 2008 - WEP, in collaboration with UNIFEM implemented a CIDA funded project – Promoting a Gender Equality and Human Rights Sensitive Policy Environment in the Nigerian HIV/AIDS National Response. A critical component of the project was the delivery of a three day Capacity building training workshop in Bauchi, bringing together critical actors and stakeholders in the area of gender, gender mainstreaming, human rights, HIV/AIDS and advocacy; with a view to create an enabling environment for the implementation and achievement of the NSF objectives and targets.
The three day Capacity Building Training workshop brought together participants from NACA, SACA, PLWHAs, WLHAs, sectoral ministries (Agriculture, Education, Women Affairs and Health), gender focused organizations etc in Bauchi State.The workshop sought to strengthen the capacity and gender awareness/sensitivity of NACA, SACA and other critical national and state actors and also to develop linkages with human rights advocates and networks of PLWHA’s so that they can drive and sustain the advocacy for policy reforms and rights of HIV positive women. Highlights of the workshop were advocacy visits carried out by a team of participants to the three line ministries in the state viz; Agriculture, Education and Health which turned out successfully.
