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Influential Nigerians Team Up to support Women and Girls During 16days of Activism Campaigns

by Women Times on

On the eve of the 16 days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence, 24th November 2022, Change.org and Industry Nite, founded by Matthew Ohio, will kickstart the 16 days of Activism Campaign to sensitize Nigerians about the issues impacting women and girls in Nigeria and across the globe.

The two organizations are joined by the United Nations, African Development Bank and other impactful organizations including Invictus Africa, founded by Bukola Shonibare, Nordic Hotels, Eyowo, Sanaa Afrika, with support from influencers and creatives such as Blaqbonez, Dija, Alhanislam and goodwill messages from renowned American poets and songwriters like J Ivy, Aja Monet and Defi.

The expression of power is the fundamental driver of violence against women and girls – this is why advocacy for gender equality is critical, if we must exponentially eradicate sexual and gender based violence worldwide. Gender equality and gender based violence emerged as the largest topics of discussion and decision maker engagement with over 9 victories in Nigeria via Change.org.

There are several petitions on the platform with a combined supporter base of 500K+ people that address the issue of child marriage in Nigeria, and sexual harrassment accounts for about 25% of all petitions started on our platform,” said Wale Ajiboye, Change.org Nigeria’s Country Director. Hence, the need for us to take action now!

According to UNWomen,The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual campaign that begins on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs through to the International Human Rights Day on 10 December. Led by civil society, the campaign is supported by the United Nations through the Secretary General’s UNiTE by 2030 to End Violence against Women initiative. This year, the UN marks the 16 Days under the theme “UNiTE! Activism to end violence against women and girls”.

“We are thrilled to be working together on the 16 Days of Activism initiative,” says Matthew Ohio, Founder of Industry Nite. “Industry Nite has helped many upcoming and successful female artists, including Tiwa Savage and Ayra Starr, over the last 13 years. This month’s show features incredible female talents in music, dance, and spoken word – these creatives will speak on behalf of our women and girls – with the aim of raising awareness”

Change.org is the world’s largest and fastest-growing platform for social change, where its users can start, sign and share petitions on issues that matter to them. More than 450 million people use Change.org in around 196 countries. Launched in Nigeria in August 2021, Change.org currently has about 3 million users in the country and has successfully piloted its movement accelerator, She Creates Change and We Create Change, which is an incubator for civil society leaders who collectively use their voices for change.

For more information and partnership: contact:

Wale Ajiboye, Country Director Nigeria Change.org wajiboye@change.org
Matthew Ohio, Founder Industry Nite and movement leader – mohio@thesanaa.xyz Bukky Shonibare, Founder, Invictus Africa and movement leader – bukky@invictus.ng

Change.org is the world’s largest petition platform, empowering people everywhere to create the change they want to see. Visit www.change.org.

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UNODC, UN, Others Partner to Tackle Conflict-Related Sexual Violence

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The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Wayamo Foundation and the United Nations Team of Experts of the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict are set to address conflict-related sexual violence especially in Northeast Nigeria.

The organisations recently partnered to conduct two capacity building workshops for Nigerian investigators and prosecutors on the investigation and prosecution of international crimes, with a special focus on conflict-related sexual violence.

A statement by UNODC, Communications Associate, Ms. Olivia Ogechi Okorondu, said the two workshops were conducted under the framework of the recently established project, “Strengthening Nigerian Capacity in the Investigation and Prosecution of International Crimes, with a Special Focus on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence” a joint initiative of the three entities.

The statement also noted that the project, which aims to increase accountability for acts of sexual violence allegedly committed by all parties to the conflict in Northeast Nigeria, seeks to build the capacity of prosecutors from the Federal Ministry of Justice’s Complex Case Group (CCG) and Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) Prosecution Hub.

The statement revealed that although conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) is not yet specifically recognized as a distinct offence under Nigerian law, the project aims to broaden the collective understanding of acts that amount to CRSV, such as sexual slavery, forced marriage, forced pregnancy, that fall outside more commonly acknowledged forms of sexual violence in Nigeria, such as rape and sexual harassment, captured by the Criminal Code, Penal Code and Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act.

 

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NHRC in 8-Month Received 248,960 Complaints of Violence Against Women, Children

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The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has reported that it received 248,960 complaints of violence against women and children in eight (8) month as of August 2022.

Tony Ojukwu, Executive Secretary,NHCR disclosed this when he received the African Union (AU) monitoring team on ending child marriage recently.

Ojukwu, represented by Benedict Agu, his special assistant, said the commission received over one million complaints on various human rights issues within eight months.

“The National Human Rights Commission (NHCR) has received one million, three hundred and seventy-eight thousand, one hundred and eighty (1,378,180) complaints across 14 thematic areas of focus as at August 2022,” the statement reads.

“Women, children and gender issues stood at 248,960 cases, made up of 128,500 cases on strict sexual and gender-based violence (rape, sex violence and other domestic violence issues).

“129,960 complaints were on gender based discrimination, harmful cultural practices, forceful marriage, sexual and reproductive rights, denial of access to children, denial of inheritance, abandonment (of women), women trafficking, child marriage and child sexual abuse.

“In specifics, harmful traditional practices accounted for 2,460 cases, while child marriage accounted for 580 cases.”

Hermaine Kembo, a Cameroonian magistrate, who led the African Union (AU) monitoring team, said the purpose of the visit was to examine measures employed by the commission in tackling human rights issues.

Kembo said Nigeria had launched a campaign to end child marriage and other harmful practices six years ago, adding that the visit was to enable them to track its progress and replicate same in other parts of Africa.

“We are back to see how far you have gone with the successes and challenges,” she added.

Speaking further, the NHRC official said a department has been established to “track policies and other developments around human rights of these critical persons of interest in Nigeria”.

 

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NACCIMA Urges FG to Support Women In Agriculture

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The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has urged the Federal Government to increase its support for women in agriculture as this would help boost the agricultural sector in the country.

The National President, NACCIMA, Ide John Udeagbala, made the call during the Nigerian International Women Entrepreneur Exhibition (NIWEX) 2022 in Lagos recently.

Represented by the Vice-President, NACCIMA, Kola Akosile, said the call had become necessary because women still encountered issues such as socio-cultural challenges, which hinder their potential to contribute their quota to agricultural development.

He added that women constituted about 70 percent of the workforce in the agricultural sector, making their contributions significant.

Specifically, he noted that they were involved in diverse processes of the agricultural value chain to ensure that food production, processing and even marketing were made easy, thereby ensuring sustainable delivery of food in the country.

“Agriculture is an important engine for growth and poverty reduction, but the sector seems to be underperforming because women in urban and rural economies face constraints that reduce their productivity.

“In view of these challenges women face in the area of agriculture, production and processing, let me use this medium to encourage our women to intensify their efforts in promoting agricultural production through made-in-Nigeria products,” he said.

On her part, Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperative, Lagos State, Mrs. Lola Akande, said women had the potential to transform the economy if given the right opportunities and encouragement. Represented by Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Mrs. Adetutu Ososanya, said the event’s theme was apt considering the fact that women contribute to the bulk of the population and their roles in feeding families.

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Lagos to Build Shelter For Abused Women

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As part of effort of the Lagos State Government to come to the aid of women suffering abuse, the state will soon launch a shelter for abused women before the end of the year.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Bolaji Dada disclosed this at the 21st WIMBIZ Annual Conference, themed ‘Firing Forward: The Future in Focus’, where she was a panellist.

The commissioner said the shelter would be located in Agidingbi, adding that it would also house a skill acquisition centre so the women could learn different skills to fend for themselves.

She also said the ministry in the state had an active help desk that women, who were suffering abuse, could reach any day and at any time. The toll line is 767.

“A shelter for abused women will be launched soon in Agidingbi with also a skill acquisition centre.

“We have a department for abused women in the commission and there is an active help desk, with toll line, 767. They will pick up calls any time of the day and they will direct these women on what to do.

“Sensitisation is ongoing and the agency saddled with the responsibility of attending to this is the Domestic Violence Response Agency.

“A shelter for abused women is currently under construction in Agidingbi and it would be completed soon, we should launch this year.

“We have noticed that when women who suffer abuse decide to leave their abusers, many of them do not know where to go and are afraid to leave because the men are most times the breadwinners, so with a skill acquisition centre, the will be able to learn something to fend for themselves going forward,” she said.

Dada spoke alongside four other women in the fourth plenary session; President, NECA Network of Entrepreneurial Women, Funmilayo Arowoogun; UN Women’s representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Beatrice Eyong; Meridian Maskara and Executive Secretary of MTN Nigeria Foundation, Oludayo Sanya, who moderated the session.

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Nigerian Women Are As Capable As Their Counterparts Anywhere Globally- Ooni

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The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has said women in the country are capable leaders and capable as their Counterparts anywhere anywhere in the world, despite limited opportunities given to them.

This was contained in a statement by the Ooni’s spokesperson, Moses Olafare, obtained in Osogbo on Tuesday, who noted that the royal father spoke at the celebration of this year’s Edi Festival.

Edi Festival is an annual ritual in Ile-ife done in acknowledgment of the heroic life and sacrifice of Moremi Ajasoro, an Ife woman who helped to secure the land from foreign invaders in the early days.

Oba Ogunwusi further explained that the culture of the Oduduwa race dignifies the female gender like their male counterparts, adding that these virtues must be upheld and practiced daily in the society.

The statement read in parts, “We all are witnesses to the outstanding performance of some ministers, commissioners, head of companies and even countries across the globe, our women here in this part of the world are as capable as their counterparts anywhere globally. The difference is the opportunities that we create for them to perform optimally.”

Speaking in her capacity as the Global Ambassador of ‘Queen Moremi Ajasoro Initiative,’ a wife to the royal father, Olori Aderonke Ademiluyi-Ogunwusi, said the festival equally signals the commencement of activities for the annual Queen Moremi Ajansoro contest by young talented ladies.

She used the occasion to announce the official opening of the portal for application for the 2022 edition of Moremi Ajasoro Cultural and Leadership Pageant, the winner of which will be crowned as the Queen Moremi Ajasoro 2022.

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NGO Identifies Challenge to Girl-child Education

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A non-governmental organisation, 100 Women Lobby Group, has blamed Nigeria’s poor implementation of the laws and policies as factors affecting the growth of girl-child education.

The National coordinator of the group, who is also the President of Change Managers International Network, Mrs Felicia Onibon, stated this as part of activities commemorating the International Day of the Girlchild, said ordinarily, parents who do not allow their children to get basic education should be arrested.​

Speaking to selected girls of the Government Day Secondary Schools, Area 11 in Abuja, Onibon said most girls are not exposed and lack basic knowledge on how to behave and comport themselves in situations of menstrual hygiene and the overall body networks of a female.

She encouraged the students to be friends with their teachers, not only in school activities and classwork but also in psychosocial support for their entire well-being, adding that learning will help them to keep themselves and conduct themselves properly.“It is illegal to dissuade a child from going to school. It is expected that parents who do not allow their children to go to school should be arrested,” stated Onibon. “The laws are there. We have them, but the problem is implementation.”

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