….as communities in 3 States join fight against GBV

….stakeholders commend ActionAid’s effort to reduce GBV

By Gabriel Ewepu, ABUJA

AS the novel Coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic lockdown triggered Gender-Based Violence, GBV, across the country, a nonprofit organization, ActionAid Nigeria, AAN, Monday, disclosed that the $1 million Ford Foundation funded programme, Strengthening Capacity of Local Women’s Right Organisation to Address Violence Against Women and Girls, SLOC-VAWG, Project, reached over 13,576 women and girls including 92 Persons With Disabilities, PWDs, in three years.

The disclosure was made by the Country Director, AAN, Ene Obi, in an opening remark at the SLOC-VAWG Dissemination and Close Out Meeting’ held in Abuja.

According to Obi, the number of beneficiaries were from Imo, Gombe and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and added that the project also reached over 8, 503 indirect beneficiaries.

In Imo State, the 7065 beneficiaries were reached; In FCT, 5763 beneficiaries reached, while in Gombe, 7461beneficiaries reached, and 12 Women Right Organisations were part of the process.

She said: “On the 1st, of June 2019, ActionAid Nigeria in partnership with Ford Foundation officially launched a 3-year project targeted towards changing harmful socio-cultural norms that exacerbate Violence against Women and Girls in Imo state, Gombe state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Nigeria.

“The implementation of this project gave us better insight into the lingering harmful and cultural norms and practices that abuses the right of women and girls.

“With research in hand, the project set to contribute to women and girls living with reduced Gender Based Violence (GBV) and fear of it through effective women led VAWG programming.

“As we all know, Gender Transformative Programs aim to tackle the root causes of gender inequality and moves beyond self-improvement among girls and women to redress power dynamics and structures that serve to reinforce gender inequalities (UNICEF 2020).

“Through this approach, the SLOC-VAWG project provided technical and financial support to Local Women’s Right Organizations (LWROs) to enable them to challenge oppressive socio-cultural norms and practices that heighten Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and the fear of it.

“The project also aimed to improve the organizational and institutional capabilities of Women’s Right Organizations (WROs).

“For over three years of implementation, the project has reached over 13,576 women and adolescent girls, 92 persons living with disability and over 8, 503 indirect beneficiaries.

“We are here today to share pertinent findings during implementation encompassing achievements, challenges, lessons learnt, and recommendations.

“It is our hope that the information that will be disseminated today will improve ongoing projects around changing harmful socio-cultural norms and inform future SGBV programming in volatile settings.”

Meanwhile, communities in the three States of Imo, Gombe and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, also joined the fight against GBV as they came up with bye-laws, sensitization, engagement with relevant organisations, and others.

Speaking about the penetration of the project in the various communities where GBV was prevalent in the three States, the Manager, Women’s Right Unit, Niri Goyit, in a presentation titled ‘Background to the SLOC-VAWG Project’ said AAN used the following strategies; Institutional strengthening of Women Right Organisations; Capacity building; Awareness creation; Working with community structures; and Granting of Women Right Organisations.

Goyit also said the results achieved within three years of the project include: Reduced culture of silence;
Increase reportioning of incidences of GBV; Reducing and Eliminating Harmful Social Norms that violates women; Women and girl’s capacity strengthened to identify and challenge negative norms that violates their human rights; Increased community actions against VAWG; Enhanced cultural and legal environment that promotes women’s rights; Increased self-esteem and confidence of women and girls; and Increased Women and girl’s inclusion in decision-making platforms.

However, she pointed out that there were some challenges- increasing insecurity across the country; Limited Funding and Staff attrition; No fund for GBV response; and Patriarchy/Power imbalance.

Meanwhile, ActionAid Nigeria recommended that, “Increase action against insecurity; Increase engagement of men and boys; Sustainability of Women Right Organisations and community structures is critical; and channel more funds to Women Right Organisations.

In a goodwill message by Funke Baruwa on behalf of Ford Foundation, expressed joy over the massive impact of SLOC-VAWG Project in the three States

Baruwa said the Foundation is focused on prevention of GBV, and expressed commitment to ending GBV, and said it will continue to support organisations that are into fight against GBV, which she noted the high level of GBV issues in Nigeria and other parts of West Africa, therefore pointed out that social norms are basic factors responsible for GBV, and called on community based Organisations, religious and traditional institutions to seriously join in the fight against GBV in order to eradicate it.

Also, the UN Women, said the level of GBV in Nigeria is alarming, where 43 per cent of girls are married off before the age of 18, and one out of three women in Nigeria had suffered physical violence by the age of 15.

This was made known by the Country Representative, UN Women, Nigeria, Beatrice Eyong, represented by the National Programme Officer, UN Women, Patience Ekeoba in a goodwill message, which she expressed confidence that with the support of the local women rights organizations the impact of the project would be sustained, therefore commended ActionAid Nigeria for the resilience and commitment to end GBV in Nigeria.

She also thanked Ford Foundation for the believe in the fight and the funding the SLOC-VAWG Project for three years, and called on others to come on board to ensure greater fight for greater results in the mission to succeed against GBV, which UN Women is already into as well.

In another goodwill message, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, represented by a Director, Funke Oladipo, commended ActionAid Nigeria for the commitment and positive results recorded, and urged all Nigerians to join the fight against GBV at the family, community, local, State and national levels in order to reduce the trend.

Oladipo noted that the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act is effective when offenders are punished, and added that the issue of Female Genital Mutilation is to be dealt with holistically including early marriage.