Kaduna — Kaduna State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in collaboration with the United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA) yesterday organized a one-day training for budget officers in ministries, departments and agencies on Gender Responsive Budget in the state.

Speaking at the opening session of the training, the state Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Maria S. Dogo, said the aim of the training was to achieve gender equality for national development.

She said the training followed previous training organized for Gender Desk Officers on how to achieve gender mainstreaming as well as application of monitoring and evaluation tools.

The commissioner, who was represented by her permanent secretary, Hajiya Hauwa Umar, said gender responsive budgeting helped to track the way budgets respond to women's priorities and the way governments at all levels use funds to reduce poverty, reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS, lower the rate of maternal and child mortality as well as promote gender equality and achieve adolescent and reproductive health.