The Director General of the National Centre for Women Development (NCDW), Lady Onyeka Onwenu, has urged the Federal Government and development partners to rebuild women and children.
Many women and children have lost their means of livelihood in the Northeast, following the activities of Boko Haram insurgents.
Lady Onwenu, who spoke at the weekend in Abuja at the graduation of 330 youths, mostly women, in vocational skills acquisition, said the centre was working with the Women Development Centres in the states and local governments to reposition them to reduce poverty.
She added that rural women would be empowered with vocational skills.
The NCDW director general said: “This will enable them establish businesses and generate income.
“We have, in collaboration with the Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA), developed training manuals to facilitate uniformity and maintain standards in the establishment and operations of the centre nationwide.
“Our programmes are based on the recognition that women’s economic empowerment is the first step to freedom and we are contributing to raise a viable and skilled workforce to meet the challenges of unemployment.
“What is more interesting in the composition of our students is the fact that we have more university graduates in these programmes.
“This is no doubt a pointer to the fact that white collar jobs are becoming elusive and vocational training will in the long run lead to a more fulfilled life.”