Girls and women are inappropriately affected by all forms of violence, which include sexual assault and harassment, domestic, verbal, emotional, and gender-based violence in homes and society. Today, the WHO estimated that globally, about 1 in 3 (30%) of women have been subjected to either physical and/or sexual intimate partner and non-partner violence in their lifetime. Community risk is increased by a lack of proper understanding of interventions for problems like SGBV.

Alimosho has the highest incidence of domestic violence, especially sexual and gender-based violence. According to the data made available by the Attorney General of Lagos State, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) received over 4,800 cases from September 2021 to July 2022, with Alimosho recording the highest number of cases for both adults and children. He added, “However, 50% of the reports were made after 10 years of the subsistence of the marriage.

Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP), through her project titled “Improving Gender Equality and Protection from Sexual and Gender Based Violence for Women and Girls in Lagos State through capacity building, awareness-raising, and psychosocial support services,” with support from the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), organized a three-day training program for 30 community advocates in Alimosho LGA.

The objectives of the training were to:

• To sensitize community members on the understanding of sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls while addressing its causes, types, and prevalence.
• To identify and address barriers to reporting SGBV cases.
• To ensure community advocates acquire skills in reporting, referring, and managing SGBV cases. 
• To understand technology’s role in facilitating SGBV and its community impact.
• To comprehend the Nigeria Police Force’s role in SGBV protection and legal frameworks in Lagos State
• To acquire skills in providing sensitive support and prioritizing survivor’s needs.
• To develop strategies to enhance community resilience against SGBV, engage in prevention efforts, and understand the advocate’s role in addressing and preventing SGBV.

Key topics discussed at the training included:

•  Gender and SGBV
• Technology-facilitated SGBV and its implications for the community
• SGBV reporting mechanisms within the community.
• Overview of the legal framework for combating SGBV
• The vital role of the Nigeria Police Force in protecting against SGBV
• Provision of Psychological First Aid to survivors and understanding mental health.
• Strategies for building community resilience

The key accomplishments were:

• 30 community advocates in Alimosho LGA acquired knowledge and skills for community-level SGBV prevention, reporting, referral and managing of cases.
• Developed Action Plans for 30 community-level awareness sessions to reach about 1500 members of their respective constituencies.
• Strengthened networking and partnership building among community advocates and state actors working on SGBV intervention in Lagos State.

WRAHP is ready to continue its essential work, making Alimosho LGA a safer and more equitable place for all.

Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP) based on her United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) consultative status, participated in the recently concluded 67^th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women which took place on 6^th to 17^th of March 2023 at the United Nations Headquarters (UN HQ) in New York, United States of America.

WRAHP was represented by her Executive Director Bose Ironsi at the convention. Key recommendations for Women and Girls advocates from the CSW67th Session include;

• The Commission reaffirms the commitments to gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls made at relevant United Nations summits and conferences, including the International Conference on Population and Development and its Programme of Action and the outcome documents of its reviews
• The Commission recognizes the need to ensure that human rights are promoted, respected and fulfilled in the conception, design, development, deployment, evaluation and regulation of technologies and to ensure that they are subject to adequate safeguards in order to promote an open, secure, stable, and accessible and affordable information and communications technology environment for all women and girls.
• The Commission emphasizes that efforts to close the gender digital divide and ensure that no one is left behind in the digital economy and society must be expanded and grounded in digital equity. It encourages all relevant stakeholders to promote equal and affordable access to digital skills and to mainstream a gender perspective into the conceptualization, development and implementation of digital technologies and related policies
• The Commission recognizes the need to focus on capacity-development policies and sustainable support of all women and girls to further enhance the impact of activities and initiatives at the national and local levels aimed at providing advice, services and support, with a view to building an inclusive and development-oriented information society that respects human rights
• The Commission emphasizes that serious harm and discrimination against women and girls triggered by the use of new and emerging digital technologies call for regulations that take into account the voices and experiences of women and girls to improve accountability requirements  to address any human rights violations and abuses and enhance transparency on how to use and protect data and address the potential human rights violations and abuses caused by the use of their products and services taking into account the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
• The Commission recognizes that social media has transformed how information is shared globally, providing women and girls with new channels to share content and opinions, as well as come together to raise awareness and mobilize, and therefore stresses the need to facilitate and expand, particularly for women and girls the accessibility and affordability of safe, secure and inclusive online platforms and digital technology, including by investing in and creating effective regulatory frameworks fully compliant with relevant obligations under international human rights law, including for content moderation and reporting mechanisms.
• The Commission strongly condemns all forms of violence against women and girls, rooted in historical and structural inequalities and unequal power relations between men and women.
• The Commission also recognizes that violence against women and girls, including sexual harassment in private and public spaces, including in educational institutions and the world of work, as well as in digital contexts, impedes participation and decision-making in the context of innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age and leads to a hostile environment
• The Commission recognizes that girls are often at greater risk of being exposed to and experiencing various forms of discrimination and gender-based violence and harmful practices, including through the use of information and communications technology and social media. It also recognizes that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in girls spending more time online, which has been exploited by offenders and has therefore increased the need for measures and education to promote child safety
• The Commission further condemns gender-based violence and the emergence and rise of harmful behaviours and narratives which undermine and discredit women’s and girls’ online and offline expression, forcing women and girls to self-censor, close their digital platforms or reduce their interaction in online and offline spaces, limiting their full, and meaningful participation in public life and the enjoyment of their human rights and fundamental freedoms
• The Commission welcomes the significant contributions of civil society organizations, especially women’s, young women’s, girls’, youth-led, grass-roots and community-based organizations, rural, indigenous and feminist groups, women human rights defenders, women journalists and media professionals and trade unions in promoting and protecting the human rights of all women and girls, placing their interests, needs and visions on local, national, regional and international agendas and in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of measures to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, including in the context of innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age. It expresses concern that such civil society organizations face many challenges and barriers to full, equal and meaningful participation and leadership, including diminishing funding, as well as violence, harassment, reprisals directed at, and threats to the physical security of, their members.
• Take measures to protect and promote the rights of all women and girls with disabilities, including by addressing all barriers that prevent or restrict their full, equal and meaningful participation in the design, management, resourcing and implementation of information and communications technology policies, ensuring their access to disability-inclusive and accessible digital information and technology, digital literacy and skills, in particular in relation to health and quality education, distance learning, as well as productive employment and decent work, including remote work, for women with disabilities, and rehabilitation and other independent living support services and assistive technologies that enable women to maximize their well-being and realize their independence and autonomy, and ensuring their priorities and rights are fully incorporated into policies and programmes, developed in close consultation with women with disabilities.

Gloria Steinem said, “Don’t think about making women fit for the world- think about making the world fit women”. March 8 of every year is set aside by the United Nations (UN) to be observed globally as International Women’s Day. It is a day dedicated to celebrating women’s achievements, recognizing their contributions to society, and raising awareness about the challenges they face.

Women are strongholds that keep the economy of a country running. Globally, statistics show that Less than 50% of working-age women are in the labour market, a figure that has barely changed over the last quarter of a century. According to the UN world population prospects, it was gathered that as of 2021, the population of females in the world is estimated at 3,904,727,342 or 3,905 million or 3.905 billion thus representing 49.58% of the world population. The world is set to have 65,511,048 or 65.51 million more than males.

There are so many challenges faced by women which include the gender pay gap, Sexual and gender-based violence and under-representation of women in business, politics, and other professions, which limits their ability to influence public policy and make decisions. Women in Nigeria face a plethora of challenges ranging from social expectations, cultural stereotypes, gender discrimination and lack of access to healthcare. Despite some progress being made in the past years, these challenges have persisted and it is vital to address them to harness a more inclusive society.

Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP), Managers of Ireti Resource Centre joined the rest of the world in commemorating International Women’s Day by hosting a Webinar on the theme “DIGIT ALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender equality”.

During the webinar, we discussed how gender equality can be promoted through digital accessibility in Nigeria and globally. Participants at the webinar included executives and representatives of Civil Society Organizations, Women’s Rights Organizations and Young persons (male and female).

From the robust interactions, key recommendations include;

• The need for a concerted effort by state and non-state actors to ensure digital technology is accessible and affordable to all women and girls.
• To ensure ongoing mentorship programs for women and girls on how to access digital accessibility.
• Strong partnerships with organizations (public and private) to promote digital technology for women and girls.
• Putting in place and implementing policies that will promote continuity in digital technology for women and girls.
• Increase funding by the government and other key partners to promote innovation and technology in the digital space for women and girls.

Remember, Women’s rights are human rights.  Everyone has a role to play in ensuring a just society where women can live free from discrimination and oppression. By leveraging technology as a tool, a more equal world where the gender gap is closed and gender equality is promoted will be achieved.

Within the last three months (January – March 2023), Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP) in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria Women’s Voices in Leadership project has provided free legal aid services to 304 community members across 6 Local Council Development Areas in Alimosho Local Government Area, Lagos State.

The program provides an opportunity for community members to assess Pro Bono lawyers. This clinic typically offers services such as legal representation, advice and counselling on the legal framework of SGBV, Human Rights, Employment issues, Tenant and Landlord issues, etc., and assistance with safety planning and accessing other resources on Sexual and Gender-Based violence. 

304 community members of Alimosho LCDA, Igando-Ikotun LCDA, Egbe-Idimu LCDA, Mosan-Okunola LCDA, Agbado Oke-Odo LCDA and Ayobo Ipaja LCDA of Alimosho LGA have benefitted from this initiative.

This training funded by Global Affairs Canada through ActionAid Nigeria is part of our efforts to ensure that survivors are well-informed about their rights on legal issues. Participants at the Community Legal Clinic included representatives of community structures such as Artisans, Market women and men, young people, Christian and Muslim Clergy and other community members.
Some key feedbacks received include;

• Adebayo Oladejo-Tunkubo, the Chairman, Kakaifesuapo Community Development Area, Ayobo, a participant, said that through the programme “The people are now better informed about the Domestic Violence Law of Lagos State, whether husband against wife, wife against husband, parents against children or guardians; what the law says about them and the penalties for offenders“.  
• Oladejo-Tunkubo, Mirian Kuforuji, a woman community leader and PRO, Ayabo Ipaja LCDA, described the programme as an excellent one. She said, “The program today made a greater impact than what we have been having because we had legal practitioners talking about tenants’ and landlords’ rights which affect many Lagosians”.

The Women’s Voice and Leadership Nigeria (WVL – Nigeria) project is a five-year project funded by Global Affairs Canada. The project seeks to tackle the barriers to gender equality and support the empowerment of women and girls through the provision of financial and technical resources to local feminist/women’s rights Organisations in Nigeria.

Media Links

https://oguntoday.com/ngo-trains-provides-legal-aids-to-lagos-communities/

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/02/sgbv-wrahp-provides-free-legal-services-for-lcdas/

https://tribuneonlineng.com/dont-keep-silent-on-domestic-sexual-violence-group-tells-lagos-residents/