Funmi Adekoya in this piece examines sexual and gender-based violence and Child Early and Forced Marriage as social menace that require concerted efforts to checkmate
Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, SGBV, is any harmful act perpetrated against a person’s will, and that is based on socially ascribed differences between male and female.
These include rape, domestic violence, sexual exploitation, trafficking in persons and harmful traditional practices.
According to data from the Nigerian National Population Commission, NPC, Gender Based Violence, experienced by Nigerian women throughout their lifetime, from either their present husband, is put at 19% for demonstrative or emotional violence, 14% for physical violence, and 5% for sexual abuse.
Also, data on different forms of violence against women submitted by United Nations (UN) human rights bodies shows that 22.3% women experience Lifetime Physical and/or Sexual Intimate Partner Violence, while 13.8% experience Physical and/or Sexual Intimate Partner Violence in the last 12 months. The record also indicates that Child Marriage is 43.4%, Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting is 19.5%.
Ending Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and Child Early and Forced Marriage (CEFM) are complex and multifaceted tasks that require collective efforts from individuals, communities, governments, and organizations.
However, identifying and addressing the underlying factors that contribute to SGBV such as poverty, unequal power dynamics, and lack of access to resources and education, is key to mobilizing communities to actively address SGBV by organizing workshops, discussion forums, and events focused on raising awareness and promoting collective responsibility.
Little wonder experts on Sexual and Gender Based Violence and Child Early and Forced Marriage are calling for collaborative effort to identify best practices and evidence-based approaches.
According to the Coordinator, Care-Fronting Nigeria, Dr. Maji Peterx, government at all levels should ensure implementation of policies against Sexual and Gender Based Violence.
He advocated fostering international cooperation to combat cross-border Sexual and Gender Based Violence, human trafficking, and other forms of violence that impact vulnerable populations.
“What we are looking at is the mobilization of critical mass of people to buy into the idea that we are all in this together, the issue of Child Early and Forced Marriage (CEFM) and Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) is not a one-man thing, it is an everybody thing.”
Dr. Peterx emphasized the need to enact comprehensive laws and initiate policies that address SGBV including laws against domestic violence, rape, and sexual harassment, and particularly enforcing the laws, while the legal system should also be sensitive to the needs of survivors and perpetrators are held accountable.
He called for policy formulation towards achieving gender equality in all aspects of life including education, employment, decision-making roles; challenging and dismantling patriarchal systems that perpetuate violence and discrimination
“Promote gender equality by engaging men and boys in discussions about challenging harmful masculinity, stereotypes and promoting healthy, respectful attitudes towards women and girls. Encourage male allies to speak out against SGBV and take an active role in creating safe communities.”
Dr. Peterx said the media had key role to play through reportage of SGBV cases while avoiding sensationalism and victim-blaming narratives, and as well utilizing media platforms to raise awareness and promote positive messages about respect, consent, and equality, which is very important.
“We must capitalize on the power of the media to give us this narrative that would raise awareness and consciousness. We the Civil Society must design a pattern for advocacy to get more people to understand our advocacy, so that they will know that if we don’t deal with SGBV and CEFMit, they will deal with us. We can therefore all work together to bring an end to it.”
Dr. Peterx added “I think many at times, government look for short time solution to a long time problem. We need bills and policies to ensure that gender issue is a structural and systemic issue, so that when government is making policies, it would be a law that protects the lives of all.
“Although, government is signatory to Act, international convention, do they implement and enforce? That is why we want government to see to the implementation of treaty they are signatory to.”
While corroborating the opinion of Dr. Peterx, Program Manager, International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA Nigeria, Mr. Fikih Obaro highlighted some keys steps to end Sexual and Gender Based Violence, Child Early and Forced Marriage.
“I think what is critical is behavioural change. Behavioural change is key towards ensuring that we have effective solution on SGBV and CEFM, and what that means is, basically we need to go back to the root, we need to go back to the community, we need to sensitize person, we need to provide avenue where people can change their behaviour from being perpetrator or being abusive to being supporters structurally for survivors of Gender Based violence.
“So sensitisation is key to behavioural change, advocacy is key towards achieving behavioural change. There has to be concerted advocacy from the grassroots down to upper echelons towards ensuring that we have a society that responds positively to Sexual and Gender Based Violence”.
Mr. Obaro called for provision of accessible and survivor-centered support services including counseling, medical care, legal aid, and safe shelter for survivors of SGBV, with survivors encouraged to come forward by reducing stigma, victim-blaming, and ensuring their safety during the reporting and investigation process.
“In terms of reintegration of survivors back to the society, Obaro said it is key that Nigeria has a victim protection approach and victim protection system whereby survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence are being reintegrated back into the society without fear of stigmatisation.”
“We need to create safe homes, we need to create effective shelter, we need to create safe avenues so that they can have succour an enabling environment for them to be empowered and be gradually reintegrated back to the society “.
In his own contribution, Program Coordinator, Child and Youth Protection Foundation, Mr. Olatosimi Kolawole called on civil society organizations to collaborate with government in the implementation and monitoring of policies on Sexual and Gender Based violence.
“The first thing we need to do as CSO is to recognize that government have policies that addresses the issue of Sexual and Gender Based Violence, understand the provision of these policies and understand that we need to start engaging with government to have a budget head for the implementation.”
“Implementation is vital, and I know that CSOs can push for the implementation of these policies and monitoring the implementation of the policies. When this is done we will see that government policies are actually speaking to the yearning and aspirations of the people.”
Mr. Kolawole said CSOs should regularly evaluate the effectiveness of SGBV prevention and response initiatives and make necessary adjustments based on feedback and data.
“Remember, ending SGBV is an ongoing process that requires each person’s actions, no matter how small, to contribute to a safer and more equitable world.”
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