NIGERIA
3 PILLARS OF RHV NIGERIA
PILLAR ONE: CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT
Develop capacity of grassroots women to efficiently and
effectively engage in decision making processes on issues
affecting their lives
“Women of my constituency now know how to
engage with the government particularly our
representatives at the National Assembly. This is
kudos to WRAPA and the Raising Her Voice Project”
…Chief (Mrs.) Felicia Sani, National President; of Market Women
Association of Nigeria
Chief mrs
sani pix
PILLAR TWO: LEGAL REFORMS
Enactment of integral laws that would eliminate discriminatory provisions
in existing laws/policies and guarantee the enjoyment of human rights by
the Nigeria woman
“With the sustained advocacy to legislators particularly at state levels, integral
laws are being enacted to address issues of concerns around women issues
especially violence against women. This is in line with the provisions of the AU
Women’s Protocol that makes it obligatory for state parties to legislate on
certain provisions of the document
…Abiola Akiode, Exe. Dir., Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (RHV Partner)
PILLAR THREE: Domestication of the African Union
Women’s Protocol in Nigeria
OBJECTIVES OF RHV NIGERIA
STRATEGIES/APPROACHES
Networking/lobbying/Advocacy/Linkages
Sustained engagement with Public/Traditional
institutions & decision making forums
A traditional ruler admonishing the
people during a THM
Capacity development of CBOs/grassroots
associations to achieve the rights of poor women
Learning/lessons sharing
Disseminating good practice
through innovative media and
communications work
A trainer taking the women through
capacity building sessions
PROGRESS

Legal Reforms

Legislation on GBV/VAW




National: VAPP Bill –successful Public Hearing awaiting 3rd Reading
Lagos - Domestic Violence and Related Offences law
Enugu, Anambra & Imo - Prohibition of Infringement
of Widow and Widower Fundamental Right Law
Edo - Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Law

Domestication of the AU Women’s Protocol

Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill






National: After its articulation, had to wait because of the elections; will be introduced by September 2011
Kaduna & Ebonyi – awaiting 2nd reading
Lagos & Plateau – process of being gazetted not yet read
Anambra – passed by legislature awaiting Governor’s consent
Ogun – held Pub hearing awaiting 3rd Reading
Alliance building / Networking


Public Hearing on VAPP Bill
Equipped and improved the capacity of grassroots women
leaders with skills and knowledge to engage in advocacy for
women’s inclusion through capacity building trainings
Mobilization rallies at state and national levels
Constituency Outreach in Ilorin
PROGRESS CONTD.

National lobbying and advocacy

Active involvement of FBOs as implementing partners
Successful advocacy visits
Engagement of members of the traditional councils at THM
in different communities
Wide dissemination of reader friendly IEC/BCC materials

Community mobilization and strengthening





Attitudinal changes ---consent in marriage, GBV impunity,
son preference, HWPs etc
“Catch Them Young” (School debates)
Hon Nimota Suleiman addressing the people
during an awareness rally
 Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)
Baseline survey
field visits
Review/Planning meetings with implementing partners /
stakeholders
impact assessment and sustainability tracking
Midterm evaluation by an external consulatant
Nkechi Nwabueze speaking during a review & planning
meeting with implementing partners/stakeholders
OUTPUT
10 Capacity building trainings
on advocacy for grassroots
women leaders and activists
100
Leadership development for women
2 Constituency
Outreaches
1860
Interactive Session with
Law Enforcement Agents
112
1st & 2nd Reading of VAPP Bill
Interventions to
address GBV
5 Town Hall
Meetings
280
Public Hearing
on VAPP Bill
360
430 (Cumulative of
Parliamentarians in session,
CSOs, media & other stakeholders)
2 Commemoration
of Annual ‘16 Days
Activism on VAW’
Mandate Protection Training
for female political aspirants
in collaboration with CDD, GAA
& WPEP in FCT for the 7 States
in North Central zone of Nigeria
30
Capacity building for female
aspirants for elective office towards
the 2011 elections in collaboration
with the Fed. Min. of Women Affairs,
GAA and WPEP in FCT & Minna in Niger
State
229 out of a national total of 820
female aspirants
Production & Dissemination of
IEC Materials on GBV & AU
Women’s Protocol
9,500
2 Annual Press
Conferences in the
FCT
3,000,000
Gender focused IEC Intervention
Panel discussions:
*2 National TV - 8,000,000
*3 National Network Radio 15,000,000
*4 local FM stations - 4,000,000
Media Dialogue/Capacity
Building for gender
correspondence of print
& Electronic Media
20
Media Campaign Jingle
in 4 local FM Stations
1,500,000
IMPACT
Legal Reforms

Gradual increase in social intolerance to GBV/VAW thereby
dismantling common justifications for GBV especially rape as
well as accountability of institutions in Nigeria, the Police in
particular
Alliance building / Networking

Synergy and Unity of Purpose among Civil Society Actors

Enhanced knowledge and leadership skills for grassroots
Women
National lobbying and advocacy
 Improved response to gender issues by policy
makers particularly the legislature

Improved Collaboration between government and CSOs
Community mobilization and strengthening

Enhanced CSO-Media partnership

Significant shift in the mindset of rural women
Members of the RHV Network in a strategy
meeting with the Chair, HCWA, NASS
LESSONS LEARNT
 Knowledge of the workings of systems and institutions engenders support and removes
potential bottlenecks
Programming for grassroots projects requires looking at issues from the lenses of the
grassroots people
Effective and meaningful engagement of Legislators requires sustained dialogue
The use of indigenous language, simplification and translation of vital documents and
communication engenders buy in and commitment to a cause
Confidence building and support of community leaders are key to achieving programme
depth and high impact on the lives of the members of the community
Best results for work in communities are achieved when participatory training methods
and THM to achieve the objectives of the project are utilized
 Working with grassroots communities require appropriate timing and involvement
LESSONS LEARNT CONTD.
 Identifying and leveraging on policy moments is strategic for the
amplification of a cause and makes easier entry points
 Inclusivity through sectoral engagement of the institutions of religious and
culture dismantles apprehensions and engenders dialogue and negotiations
on issues of women’s rights
 Promoting shared lessons and best practices helps to improve the capacity
of partners
Dialogue with male heads of
households on issues of Domestic
Violence
Transparency and full disclosure of financial status is key in gaining the confidence
of group members
Always necessary and advisable that agreement on expectations and
deliverables are put in writing and endorsed
Qualitative knowledge when passed on to women improves their self esteem
and commitments towards promotion and protection of their rights
The assumptions around illiterate and less privileged women is misplaced as
the project has established that these women can negotiate for their rights
when their capacity to do so is built appropriately
Engagement of legislative technical support staff secures institutional memory
to mitigate the turnover of elected members of Parliament
Hadeezah Haruna-Usie, RHV Nigeria
project coordinator in a dialogue
with Sam Dabeng, Dep. Dir., AU
Div., Min. of Foreign Affairs during a
partnership visit to the Ministry
CHALLENGES

Poor budgeting for programme activities
? Active participation of secretariat at programme and events for effective impact
assessment
? Limited reach in terms of beneficiaries

Deep-seated traditions and cultural inhibitions informed by patriarchal system

Sectarian crisis in some parts of Nigeria

Weak resource support for monitoring and evaluation
WHAT IS WORKING

Leverage on existing platforms and intervention

Diversified fund raising for the project

Replication of the DFID Issue Based approach to
generate support and project buy in by other
stakeholders

strategic seizure of policy moments and landmark
events to raise the visibility of specific gender issues
and the voices of women
Ladies & gentlemen!
Thank you for your
spared time!!!!