GADA Trains 53 Community Responders On Sustainable GBV Prevention In Northern C’River

CROSS RIVER, CALABAR – Fifty-three members of Community Crisis Management Teams (CCMTs) from four communities in Cross River North Senatorial District have received training on resource mobilisation, advocacy strategies and sustainable response to gender-based violence (GBV) as part of efforts to strengthen community ownership of survivor support services.

The four-day step-down training, organised by Gender and Development Action (GADA), was held from June 11 to 14 in Ijibor in Bekwarra Local Government Area, Ogboja in Ogoja, Okuku in Yala and Busanfong in Obanliku. A total of 53 participants, comprising 20 women and 33 men, took part in the exercise.

According to the activity report, the training was designed to strengthen the capacity of Community Crisis Management Teams to mobilize local resources, conduct advocacy and sustain GBV prevention and survivor support activities within their respective communities.

The report stated that participants received practical training on identifying, securing and managing resources, proposal writing, networking and engaging local government authorities, civil society organisations and development partners to sustain community-based interventions against gender-based violence.

“The one-day intensive training on Resource Mobilization and Advocacy Skills was successfully conducted for members of Community Crisis Management Teams (CCMTs) in the North,” the report said.

It added that the programme equipped participants with practical knowledge and skills needed to identify, secure and manage resources while effectively advocating for community needs during crises.

The report further disclosed that participants developed action plans tailored to the peculiar challenges facing their communities, including security concerns, infrastructure deficits and humanitarian needs, while the training adopted an interactive and participatory approach that received positive feedback from attendees.

According to the report, participants welcomed the initiative and expressed appreciation to GADA for introducing the training at a critical period, while appealing for additional support to enable the CCMTs to carry out their responsibilities more effectively.

“The CCMTs received the training and said it was a welcome idea and thanked GADA for bringing such training in a time like this,” the report noted, adding that the teams appealed for resources to support their activities.

The report also revealed that the Yala Community Crisis Management Team requested GADA’s support in engaging the local government council to secure sustainable institutional backing, including the allocation of office space for the team.

It stated that the teams from Bekwarra, Ogoja, Yala and Obanliku were guided to prepare work plans that would drive their advocacy and resource mobilisation activities through the remaining months of 2026.

As part of the outcomes, all participating communities developed six-month work plans on resource mobilisation and advocacy strategies, while participants demonstrated improved understanding of sustaining CCMT operations through community resource mobilisation and advocacy initiatives.

The report added that the Community Crisis Management Teams pledged to strengthen community ownership of GBV prevention and survivor support, with Yala CCMT already initiating advocacy for office accommodation at the local government council as part of efforts to institutionalise its operations.

However, the report identified inadequate provision of writing materials, incorrect participant account details, poor communication before the training in some communities and late arrival of participants as challenges encountered during the exercise.

It recommended improved logistics, stronger communication and the inclusion of finance personnel in future trainings to enhance programme delivery.