The VC stated this when he received members of WaSH-Gender Research team led by the director of the International programme of the University, Dr. Emmanuel Akpabio, who paid him a courtesy visit.
According to the statement by Akpabio, made available to our correspondent on Wednesday, the VC while welcoming members of the team to his office, appreciated the Director for assembling a research team of diverse rich and international backgrounds.
He said, “Let me specifically welcome members of the Wash-Gender Team to appreciate the director for carefully selecting and constituting a research team of diverse, rich, and international backgrounds most relevant to the project.
“You have proved beyond reasonable doubt of your capacity to deliver on the goal of the directorate of International Programmes and the outcome of the WaSH-Gender project which will contribute to strengthening the international profile of the university of Uyo”.
He promised to support the project in any way possible including media publicity and regular power supply among others.
Earlier, Akpabio briefed the VC on the successful outcome of their application for a Grant for medium-scale projects on water and development partnership programme to be funded by the Development Cooperation Agency of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He stated that inadequate access to water exacerbated workload imbalances between men and women, adding that for women, failure to achieve socially expected responsibilities in WaSH may trigger intimate partner conflicts and violence including spousal quarrels and physical fights.
While noting that the project would span for 18 months and will involve a series of workshops, public meetings, oral testimonies, research, data collection, public engagement, advocacy, and dissemination, the team leader requested the VC’s approval for the involvement of the University’s Media team for coverage of any major events that will be associated with the project throughout its implementation period as part of its co-funding responsibility.
